Three's A Crowd
by Mahersal
Summary: It was just the two of them. Alone. The Shadow Realm gave a whole new meaning to "afraid of the unknown." Leaving was impossible. Ahead was unpredictable. The only thing that seemed to be consistent was the company, but even that wasn't certain. And in the shadows a figure is watching. A look at what Ryou and Malik did after being sent to the Shadow Realm by Marik.
1. Quarrelling in the Shadows

I found time to re-watch the episodes that are crucial to this story and I noticed some flaws in my story, not to mention that I have a few ideas that need to come up a bit earlier. With all of this information said and done, it was time to update the story. The plot is still the same, but there are just a few holes that will be filled. However, I do recommend re-reading previous chapters before moving on due to the fact that some things _will _be different.

For those who don't know, _**Mahersal **_will be my permanent screen name. I will stand by this until the day I stop writing fanfiction—and who knows when that will happen.

/...\ switches from one person to another when there are people in different locations

:::^::: is time passage like usual

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Kazuki Takahashi.

* * *

_**Three's A Crowd**_

**Chapter 1**

**Quarrelling in the Shadows**

"Damn him!" Bakura punched the cold ground with his fist repeatedly, small rivulets of blood trickling down his knuckles. "That bastard should be here, not me! Damn him!"

Malik watched him with mild interest, his lavender eyes narrowed into slits and his jaw clenched. He was just as—if not _more_—angry as Bakura; he was the one dueling and wasn't _listening _to Malik. Unlike Bakura, Malik contained any anger he felt, releasing it by biting his lip and clenching and unclenching his fists.

_He should have listened! _He thought bitterly. Malik thought it was obvious that he was the one who knew the most about his deck despite the fact that _he _changed it and stole his body. He shook his head angrily and dug his fingernails into his palms, little crescent moon imprints forming in his skin. He squeezed his eyes shut. How will he get his body back _now?_

/...\

A chilling feeling of dread threaded down his spine before Ryou's eyes fluttered open, the dark purple, green, and black swirling clouds of fog confirming his fear. Black. Cold. Foggy. Chaotic. Lifeless. Hopeless.

The Shadow Realm.

His chocolate brown eyes skirted around the smoky haze, taking in the inertness. The only sound he heard was an eerie wind and his own fast-beating heart. He was completely and utterly alone. This little fact scared him even more. Yes, the Spirit of the Ring—_Bakura, _Ryou thought sourly, loathing that their last and first name was one in the same—isolated and secluded him from the world and made all his friends disappear, yet he was _there. _Ever since his sister died, his loneliness escalated. His father stopped acknowledging his presence and became consumed with work. He was always known as the brainy, quiet kid at his old school in England, or any school he transferred to. No one gave him a second thought. He was in his own little world of castles and role-playing. Ryou's life was a living hell with Bakura, but knowing he was there—even if he never associated with him—gave him a comfort.

A lonely rag doll floated through the haze, her button eyes gleaming in an unknown light. A tug at the gut told Ryou that it probably belonged to a little girl who was unfortunate enough to be sent to this place of horrible misery. Horrible loneliness. Fog swallowed up the doll and Ryou felt a change in the shadows. The magic and shadows altered, transporting him to another part of the Shadow Realm. It was sort of like the great Labyrinth in Grecian mythology, always changing, never ending, full of monsters and other unpleasantries.

_At least I'm free to walk around, _Ryou thought. He shook his head and sat up, pausing to hear the sound of… arguing? He couldn't make out any words, only yelling. His unease settled a bit as he came to know that he was no longer alone. The voices suddenly grew louder and echoed all around him. Ryou sighed when he recognized the two voices.

"_My _fault?" Malik protested. "How the _hell_ is this _my_ fault?"

"You bloody prick!" Bakura's gravelly voice boomed. (Ryou couldn't stop the tiny smile that crossed his face when he heard the British terms that Bakura was using, knowing that he was getting them from Ryou.) "If you had stopped feeling sorry for your pathetic little self, that asshole wouldn't have appeared!"

"Oh dear," Ryou gasped, standing up. The direction of where the voices were coming from changed again, sounding off to his distant left. As much as he dreaded it, Ryou needed to find the Spirit who he knew would know a way out of here. He walked forward, a bad feeling bubbling in the pit of his stomach as the shadows grew darker.

/...\

Neither spoke. Neither blinked. Neither breathed. Malik and Bakura were at a stand-still in each other's faces and neither was ready to back down. Malik had guts getting in Bakura's face. Even the mighty pharaoh never was in his face during a duel or confrontation. Malik may be taller than Bakura, but Bakura had more power and was more intimidating; he only had a slim chance of winning, and Malik wasn't going to give up. If he wanted something, he fought for it.

Bakura _knew _it wasn't his fault they were sent here. His strategy and plan was foolproof. The only reason he let Malik take refuge in his host's body was so he could get the Millennium Rod and to find out what this secret was. He really didn't care about the pesky teenager's problems. However, with Marik—who wasn't too keen to give up the Rod—he knew he had to help Malik. He had to hand it to him though. It was impressive that a sixteen-year-old could have such a powerful position and a knack at crime. He was pretty clever, but what he wanted to do during the duel was just _stupid. _For a smart kid, he could be pretty dense.

Malik was growing impatient. This had gone on too long—nearly fifteen minutes according to his internal clock—and neither was giving up. He couldn't hold back anymore and broke the silence.

"This isn't my fault," he said harshly.

Bakura scoffed. "You should have told me about Ra."

"I didn't know it! I don't know how the hell _he _did!" Malik protested.

"Of course you didn't," Bakura said sarcastically. "In case you forgot, I was knocked unconscious in my little duel with the _pharaoh_," he spat out the word as if it were poison, "so I was rendered unable to watch your duel and know how Ra works."

Malik frowned. "Maybe if you weren't so hasty to waste our life points—"

"_My _life points," Bakura growled.

"—I would have told you about Ra!"

"And maybe if you told me about Ra, I wouldn't have had to take drastic measures in using life points!"

"_WHAT?" _Malik shrieked. "I was giving you advice!"

"As if I need advice from _you._" Bakura laughed cruelly in Malik's face. "I've been playing Shadow Games since they were first created!"

Malik clenched his teeth in frustration and made a fist. Bakura laughed.

"Oh please," he said, flicking his wrist. "Like you can do anything to me in my domain." A tentacle-like shadow slipped out the fog and wrapped itself around Malik's tanned hand. The shadow held strong as he struggled to get his fist back, tugging and pulling at the shadow. The more he fought, the tighter the hold.

"Though the shadows are truly untamable, they answer to me," Bakura's blood-red eyes glinted as a smirk crossed his face.

Malik glared menacingly at him. Did this guy have a big head or what? He really did feel bad for the poor Ryou kid who hosted this bastard.

/...\

"Spirit? Malik?" Ryou called out timidly, afraid that something would jump out. Their voices grew louder, but he still saw no sign of them, only the dark, swirling mist. Occasionally he would catch sight of something but it just faded into the haze. He once thought he caught sight of his sister in the corner of his eye, but when he turned nothing was there and he felt an ache in his heart. He wrung his hands nervously, the eerie wind making him frightened. Ryou generally didn't scare easily, but this nothingness gave a whole new meaning to "afraid of the unknown."

"Spirit?" he called again, his voice barely a whisper. He almost gave up hope when he suddenly ran into the back of a tanned, taller, blond teenage boy who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"What the hell?" Malik turned and glanced down at the calmer—not to mention frightened—toned down version of Bakura.

"Well what do we have here?" he said a tad surprised, glancing over his shoulder at a snarling Bakura. "Looks like you host has finally joined our little party." He laughed lightly, trying to ease the tension.

Bakura gave one last look at Malik before releasing the shadow, not missing the finger Malik flashed at him afterward. He returned the favor and turned his red-brown eyes to Ryou.

"It seems so." He said uninterestedly.

Ryou quickly put his head down and shuffled his feet. He wanted nothing to do with his other half.

Malik kept looking back and forth between the two, amazed at the similarities and differences between them. Bakura's face was more angular, harsher. His hair never laid flat, always a wild mess as it tumbled down to the middle of his back. His eyes were his most frightening characteristic. They seemed to change colors in the light, flashing from a flat, cold brown to a bright blood red. Sometimes the two colors even mingled. The one word he came up with to describe his features overall was "sharp." There was this hidden dark power that seemed to emanate from him. The shadows just clung to him, as if they would do anything for him, bend over backwards for him. It was a bit disturbing how dark Bakura was. Marik may be a twisted psychopath with a lust for blood, but Bakura was dark, menacing, and frosty.

Ryou, on the other hand, had a softer complexion. His hair was much tamer and a bit shorter then Bakura's, neatly cascading to his shoulder blades. His eyes were warmer as well, like melted chocolate. They were also very expressive, the fear he had of Bakura swimming on the surface of his irises. Every once in awhile in that unbearable, uncomfortable silence, Malik would catch Ryou glancing his way and then back over at Bakura. Ryou was afraid of Bakura _for him_ as well! His eyes widened at the thought, but he quickly pushed it aside. He did not want to cause any trouble between the two, as he could feel the pressure amid the two of them; they were not too fond of each other.

Not only did he have to cope with the annoying teenager, his sniveling host had shown up! His gaze switched back and forth from Malik and Ryou, making sure each of them was under his glare. If looks could kill, both would be dead already. Bakura had already been put in a pissy mood with Marik's annoying taunts and flaunting his plan around like a child would a new bike. But he had goals to obtain, so he couldn't dwell on that silly, little past event. Bakura _always _thought out future events, making sure that his master plan was indestructible. He glare faded and his lips curled upward into a harsh smirk. Why would he want to be here when there were places to go and people to destroy?

Ryou jumped at the sound of Bakura's dry laugh. How he _hated _that laugh, the cold and heartlessness that always crept into it, how it made shivers go down his spine, how he knew something bad was going happen when he laughed like that. That laugh always became the pinnacle of his nightmares, and Ryou was close to becoming an insomniac because of it.

"It was nice chatting with you, Malik," he said, his smirk turning into a cruel smile, "but I do have to be somewhere." He lifted his hand up and several shadows slithered onto it, twisting down his arm and engulfing his entire body. The crackle of Shadow Magic made the ground shudder and Ryou could feel the shadows' arousal and excitement. Bakura's frigid laughter echoed, sending electric chills up and down Ryou's spine. A powerful wind erupted where Bakura was standing and his form melted into the fog, the shadows taking him away.

_Good riddance! _Ryou thought, breathing a deep sigh of relief. The temporary weight lifted off his shoulders and he rubbed his chest where the Ring usually hung out of habit.

"Jackass." Malik muttered, turning toward Ryou and sticking out his hand. "I don't think we've formally met. I'm Malik Ishtar."

Ryou took the hand. "Ryou Bakura." He winced slightly at his last name. He didn't know why, but when Malik was near, Ryou felt safer. It was as if the Spirit couldn't touch Ryou without going through him.

Malik noted the wary trust that danced in the surface of Ryou's eyes. He sensed that Ryou wanted protection from the Spirit, and Malik couldn't help the feeling that he would whether he wanted to or not. What he didn't know was that handshake sealed the deal. A shadow slithered over the tan and white hands, making the deal permanent.

/…\

Somewhere in the darkest corners of the Shadow Realm, a figure chuckled.

"I have some special guests, hmm?" the voice said. "This could be fun."

* * *

This chapter mostly stayed the same except for deleting some things here and there and fixing some dumb errors. The main change is that little bit at the end. :D I'm so excited for that part.

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	2. Counsel of Truth

Chapter one was just there. If I want people to know that this story is being fixed, it has to hit the front page. ;)

This chapter has a little more updates than chapter one, so I do recommend re-reading it.

Sorry I keep switching around the names. I've decided I've gone officially Japanese names besides a few. I will be posting my headcanons in my profile.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Counsel of Truth**

A smile flashed in the darkness before the figure stepped out of the shadows, the smile growing wider across his pale face. After five thousand years his plan was finally in motion. A soft, dark chuckle escaped Bakura's lips as he glanced around, wondering just where to start in this devious place.

/…\

Ryou wasn't sure whether to be honored or terrified that he was face-to-face with the leader of the Rare Hunters. Sure he seemed like a polite person, but he heard many things about that group, that they performed tasks that weren't completely legal and that they were not above killing individuals that didn't give them what they wanted.

He was still pissed, but mostly Malik felt like a traitor. He betrayed his father, his family, his clan, his friends, and did horrible things in blind hatred. As soon as he lost control of his body, a realization dawned on him. Marik was influencing him the day he was created. Yes, Malik was at fault for everything he did, but Marik was the voice in his head goading him on to do it. He hurt everyone he loved. Odion, Ishizu…

_Ishizu! _He needed to tell her what happened, make sure she and Odion were safe, and maybe figure out a way to get his body back. That was easier said than done. His eyes narrowed a bit as he glanced around at the eternal darkness. He _had_ to talk to his sister.

_Anzu_.

Malik could have jumped for joy. Anzu was his short-term passport back to the real world. Shadow Magic could only be provoked by higher members—and family members—of the Ishtar clan, but it was stronger and permanent with an Item, objects _only _held by the true blood Ishtars. It would take much energy—most of his energy—but since Anzu was the only one that he still held a small portion of control over, she was his only resort.

"Ryou?" He glanced down at the white haired boy.

"Yes?"

"I have to go take care of something."

Ryou looked up at him, seeing a small glimmer of hope in his lavender eyes. "Okay."

/…\

"Another dead end? My, my pharaoh, what an interesting mind you have," Bakura mused as he turned around and started back. The pharaoh's soul room consisted of nothing but doors, stairs, and long hallways with empty promises at the end. Bakura was amused—considering he had all his memories—and annoyed—considering this was getting him nowhere—with the twists and turns of the Puzzle. Still, it was better than nothing. Patience is a virtue, a virtue he was _very_ good at.

/…\

Malik thanked Ra repeatedly that Marik was still on the sky deck. Time in the Shadow Realm and the real world ran differently. One year on Earth could be ten millennia in the Shadow Realm. Two hours in the shadows could be only one second on Earth or vice versa. (There really was not a way to tell time in the Shadow Realm because all watches stopped. Mostly victims ran on internal clocks.) He shifted awkwardly and tugged at the short shorts, uncomfortable with being "inside" a girl's body. Of course, like most sane men, he wanted to be _in _a girl's body…

…just not like this.

He tripped nosily over the clunky heels and caught his breath when the sound of footsteps echoed off the walls behind him.

"Are you lost, Miss Mazaki?" A voice interrupted Malik's thoughts.

He turned, thanking Ra once more that it was only one of Kaiba's henchmen. What was his name? Ronald? Rodin? He didn't really care at the moment.

"Uh, no. I'm just taking a walk." Malik could've smacked himself. _Taking a walk?_ How stupid did he sound? Who takes a walk around an airship at 2:40 in the morning?

Kaiba's henchman looked at him for a moment before slowly nodding his head. "A little airsick?"

Sure, why not? "Yeah."

He nodded his head again. "I used to get like that when I first started working for Mr. Kaiba. Airplanes were not my best friend back then. Walking around on the planes and airships really helped ease my stomach." He started to walk off again, but turned just before Malik ran off. "If you need any Advil or other necessities let me know."

Malik felt his head dip up and down in a nod and sighed heavily after Kaiba's henchman turned the corner. Hopefully that would not happen again.

/…\

Ryou fiddled with his fingers and glanced nervously at Malik's body. He was gone for almost an hour and showed no sign of movement besides his deep even breaths. The Eye of Horus faintly glowed on his forehead, pulsing with the movement of the shadows. They were growing restless and from what Malik briefly prepped him with, Malik was running out of time.

/…\

"I'm so sorry." Malik's voice was barely above a whisper as he finished telling his sister of the events that happened since he left four years ago. If Ishizu knew of anything he told her—Malik was positive not all his tale was new to her—she didn't indicate that she did. He was sick of lying to his sister and felt even sicker after telling the truth.

Ishizu pursed her lips and rested her chin in the palm of her hand, mulling over the information her brother just told her. "Only the pharaoh can save you now." She said gravely.

Malik nodded understandingly. "I know." His eyebrows scrunched together in concern. "Ishizu, you need to hide Odion. Marik cannot find him. He'll kill him."

Ishizu's eyebrows knit together, the same concern her brother felt mirrored on her face. "I will hide him. There are many rooms on the airship and a few levels. I will be at his side relentlessly until he wakes from his coma." She placed a hand on Malik's and squeezed. "When he awakens, you will be able to fight. I know it."

"Until then," Malik said grimly, "You know where I'll be. Stuck. In limbo. Helpless."

"_Malik!_" Ishizu scolded. "You will get out. You can't just go floating about in the shadows. You were taught better than that." Her blue eyes shifted back and forth in urgency. "You do not have much use here, so attempt to find a way out of there, please. There are portals everywhere. Find one."

"Then what?" He jeered at her. "Float around as a soul? Threaten to posses my body when he can easily kick me out _again_? Take in Odion's or your body? Find a dead person to inhabit?"

Without warning, Ishizu's hand roughly collided with Malik's cheek. Malik sat there feeling nothing but amazement and shock. Ishizu's face was hidden by the hood of her cloak, her head cast down.

"Malik," she said after a long silence, her voice thick. She lifted her head and a tear fell down her cheek. "_Please. _Try to find a way out for me. I'm losing Odion, I can't think what I'd do if…" her voice caught and her body shuddered.

His eyes softened. "I'll try."

Ishizu smiled weakly at her brother. She wiped her eyes and laughed humorlessly. "What have we come to?"

Malik answered her question with a hug. "We never had a normal life from the start."

"We could maybe attempt."

Malik let go of his sister with those words. "What do you mean?"

She grasped his hand again and looked at him intensely. "Fight. Do everything in your power to get your body back. Find a way out of the Shadow Realm. Trust Ryou. I can sense that he is a good, kind-hearted person. Don't trust the Spirit of the Ring. If he is around, keep your guard up. Search though. You'll have to keep going, but Malik, you need to fight. The pharaoh can only get you so far. The rest is your doing." Her smile this time was genuine. "If I know your spirit, you have much fight in you. You'll do everything in your power. I _know _you will win, but it will not be unproblematic. Your darker half has been a problem for a long time."

Malik's face darkened and he glanced down at the chunky shoes on his feet.

Ishizu's eyes fogged in recollection. "I remember you used to talk about him. He was your imaginary friend, your _saheb._ You even called him a form of your name—Marik. It was a little strange that a ten-year-old had an imaginary friend, but Odion and I let it go. You had been through so much."

A tear slipped off the tip of Malik's nose.

"You used to wake up in the middle of the night screaming. We would come running in and you would be muttering about seas of blood and mountains made of dead bodies. You would cry that Marik would lead you to these ghastly places. We asked why and every time you would close your mouth, scrunch your eyebrows, and become utterly confused. This especially happened after Father… passed." Ishizu looked warily at Malik, but Anzu's face was blank.

"I don't remember that," Malik said softly.

"I'm not surprised," Ishizu said simply.

They were silent for a long time.

A slight uncomfortable stir in Malik's gut told him he was running out of time. He stood suddenly, making his sister jump.

"I have to go," he said. "It's been almost two hours Shadow Time."

"And you only got to spend a little over one here," Ishizu sighed and embraced her brother. "Take Anzu's body back to her room before Marik comes down. I will see you soon." She gave him a confidant smile as he headed for the door.

"Hey, Sis?" Malik turned back and smiled hopefully.

"Yes?"

"When all of this craziness ends and we actually serve our purpose, can get one of those Big Mac things I keep hearing about?"

Ishizu was a little confused by her brother's request, but she nodded her head. "Of course."

Malik's smiled widened. "It's on me." He winked at his sister, a small acknowledgment and agreement to her request before running out of the room.

/…\

Pitch black and dark grey shadows swirled in a foggy haze. The figure crossed its arms, eyes closed, focusing.

"I didn't realize the guests I had," it spoke, its voice composed and cool. "I think they need to meet Norio-chan. One of my poor babies has been so lonely and wanting some company."

Its chuckling was cut short when it melted into the shadows.

* * *

THAT is a better ending than what I had, not "Yeah, okay Sis herp derp." And now there is more of a reason why the Shadow Realm is targeting those two. Of course the Shadow Realm messes with people, but they seem to have too much bad luck. Of course, Ryou isn't very lucky to start with…

XD

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	3. The Shadow's Breath

I have to say last chapter will probably be the one with the biggest changes. If anything else changes so much, I'll say so.

Note: I'm going to try to space out Malik's explanations so there isn't a bulk of information in one chapter. Also, the language at the one point is Japanese because Ryou and Malik have been talking in English since it is Ryou's native tongue. He is from England after all.

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**The Shadow's Breath**

Ryou's heart skipped a beat when Malik suddenly flinched. After being still for so long, any movement would've startled him. He felt quite alone with Malik in a meditative and unresponsive state, and being alone in such a dark place his mind and eyes started to wander. Twice he saw a Duel Monster pass by. The first time, he didn't know what to make of it. Yugi once brought up that Duel Monsters were more than just cards. He—more like his yami—talked about the Dark Magician as if he was a living, breathing soul. He couldn't remember when, but he heard the term "Duel Spirit" used to describe them. At one point, an Alligator Sword Duel Spirit spotted him and lifted that sharp, gleaming sword of his, ready to strike his prey. Luck, for once, was on Ryou's side, and in a ripple of shadows his Lady of Faith was suddenly standing in front of him, chanting a spell in some odd language. The gator's eyes dropped sleepily and he fell down on the ground heavily as sleep consumed him. The ground drank him up and he sank through the fog. The Lady of Faith turned and winked at Ryou before returning to her place in his deck, leaving Ryou relieved, stunned, and utterly confused. He was too deep in a stupor to notice when the pulsing eye on Malik's forehead faded.

Malik had barely enough energy to move his head and look up at Ryou. "How long was I gone?" he asked weakly.

Ryou checked his internal clock. "Almost two hours." His hand didn't leave his chest as he spoke.

Malik hissed at his stupidity. "I was cutting it close. Otherwise the shadows get my soul." He thought about what he said for a moment before adding, "Well they get to _keep _it."

Ryou's perplexed look slowly softened as it clicked together. "I take it we are not waiting like damsels in distress for the pharaoh." He chuckled quietly.

Malik's eyes had a sudden hardness in the lavender depths. "Damn straight."

Before Ryou could say anything else, a shadow slithered around Malik and gave him a small bit of strength so he could get up and stay on his feet. It was a sign: something was coming.

Ryou felt a sudden change in the shadows as well, a presence of some sort materialized far ahead. A figure appeared in the misty haze, slowly ascending forward in jagged movements. Malik took a step forward and stood next to Ryou.

"You have your deck?" he asked.

"Yes…" Ryou's hand went to the deck holster that clipped to his belt. "Why?"

"You may need it."

Ryou opened his mouth to speak but never got a chance to talk when a blood curling, ear-piercing screech came from the direction of the approaching figure. The shriek softened to heart-broken moans.

"Oh… oh… wh-where am I?" It cried in Japanese, its voice cracked. "H-how did I get here? Hello? Anyone he-here? Can someo-one help m-me?"

Malik's eyes flashed with the tiniest bit of pity before quietly telling Ryou, "Follow my lead." He said something aloud in Arabic.

"Wow, you speak funny!" The stranger's warped voice cried out. His laugh was off, no humor or feeling behind it. "I don't know what 'Apples in fish kitchen Bella' means!"

Ryou glanced at Malik, hoping his face would give away what he was doing and why, but he kept it guarded. _Follow my lead…_

Ryou chirped something in Spanish, remembering a bit he learned in school when he lived in Spain for a year.

The figure's form was finally clear, the fog evaporating as he neared the two teens. He was a tall man—almost as tall as Kaiba—dressed in a tattered, moth-eaten pinstriped suit. He looked like he had been to Hell and back in Ryou's opinion. The man stopped ten feet away from the two boys and both of them felt like throwing up. The man's face was sunken in, his cheeks shallow and leathery. His right eye was half-lidded; he gave the impression of lazy eye. His left eye, in contrast, was wider than humanly possible and bloodshot to the point it looked like it hurt. The iris kept changing color from deep almost-black-but-not-quite grey to stark white. His smile was agonizingly forced and looked almost as wide and fake as one of Marik's. He opened it and barked out a laugh, blood dripping from the corners of his lips.

"It's people!" He jumped up and down like a little child. "How be do?"

Malik switched languages, calmly saying something in Ancient Egyptian.

"'Coconuts gecko talk French aqua Z.'" The man nodded his head. "I see." His eye shot over to Ryou, his smile faltering. "Amane?"

Ryou blinked, his mouth falling open. "Wh-what?"

"Dad! Mom! I found her!" The man shouted, his voice sounding eerily like a younger Ryou. "She was hiding in the dryer!"

Ryou couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was not possible. This wasn't happening. He remembered that day so clearly even though he was so little. Those were the exact words he said eleven years ago when he and his sister were playing hide and seek. Amane was missing for over an hour before Ryou and his family found his white-haired three-year-old sister asleep amongst the freshly dried clothes.

"Ryou Bakura."

He jumped at the sound of his name, the sickeningly familiar voice pulling him from his thoughts. _No. _He cannot be back. He just can't. The brown eyes looked up to meet a dark grey one, dark maroon seeping into the iris. The man's smile looked almost exactly like his, but it didn't have the same feeling behind it. It was flat, fake, a replica, a poser. Nevertheless, he had the Voice down pat.

"Your blood is going to be the water in my bathtub."

His body froze. He was cold, alone, helpless, no light to ever penetrate the darkness ever again. No one could save him. No one could help him. He was alone in his eternal hell of shadows, nightmares, and ice cold. The eye held him. His future played in the white iris. A dead world. A throne made of shadows. A large, dark power emanating pure evil. A sick smile across _his_ face. The world was conquered, and he couldn't stop him. A vessel. A landlord. A host. Nothing more. Just a tool.

Malik's face scrunched up with worry as he yelled and yelled in every language that he could think of. Spanish, Arabic, English, Ancient Egyptian, French… nothing worked. As Ryou's already pale face drained of his color, Malik finally went to his last resort.

"Hey asshole! I'm over here!" The man's smile faded and his eye moved to Malik's tanned face. He quickly said something in a different array of languages and the man's original plastic smile returned.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that? 'Moose hits directions five north Little Kuriboh!' Thanks you!" He bowed politely and stumbled past them, moaning and crying, asking for help and rambling on random sentences that didn't make an inkling of sense. His cries soon escalated to screams again before the shadows shifted and ate him up, a scream hanging in the dead air.

Ryou, who was still stuck in his shocked state, collapsed on the ground, coughing and breathing heavily. The sliver of shadow that started to split the skin on his hand slid away. Ryou noisily emptied his stomach, the sick melting into the ground. He breathed in a few more gasps of air before turning his frantic brown eyes to Malik who wore an expression of concern.

"What… was that?" Ryou finally had enough energy to talk.

Malik turned his eyes away from the Brit, his concerned face changing to one of sorrow and pain. "That is the effect of the Shadow Realm on a mortal."

"_We_ are mortals."

His lavender eyes looked sharply at Ryou's chocolate brown ones. "Mortals who are used to Shadow Magic." His gaze turned back to the restless shadows. "The Shadow Realm has existed as long as anyone can remember. Almost every ancient civilization used it as punishment for severe crimes and offenses. These crimes were all recorded once and the scrolls hidden. That's why you don't see it in today's history textbooks.

"There is more than just one way to enter the Shadow Realm. One, as Mai experienced," he stopped a minute and clenched his fists, sending a silent plea of forgiveness to the blonde woman before continuing, "is your soul is banished here, dwelling in the shadowy abyss while your body is in a comatose state unless someone is able to bring it back. If not, eventually your body will die off and you will forever remain here. Another, as today's Shadow Game illustrated—" Malik muttered something too low for Ryou to hear, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with the Spirit and his other half "—your body is sent here. If you are use to the magic, lucky you. You have a good chance of survival. If not… you end up like that man. A majority of the time, it is the soul that is sent here—like in my case—not a body—like in yours—and usually when a regular mortal is here, it's by accident.

"Portals all around the world lead to here. The missing nose in the Sphinx? Shadow Realm portal. Some spots on the Great Wall of China send you here if you just get within five feet. Anything that has a sort of… dark air to it probably is a portal."

"Warwick Castle in Warwickshire?" Ryou asked as the two teens started walking forward again. "It always had a gloomy feel to it when I used to visit it when I was younger."

Malik nodded. "Another portal. The most popular and largest portal is the Bermuda Triangle. Even a few spots in the Great Lakes in the United States are gateways. That's why you used to hear about ships disappearing. They fell through. However, very few portals are constant. Most of them are random. That man perhaps stumbled across one and fell in. Countless people accidentally cross into the Shadow Realm. Since they are just mortals, the shadows eat at the mind and soul, causing them to go insane." He frowned slightly at his word choice, but continued. "Eventually this becomes too much, and the Shadow Realm consumes them."

Malik paused to let the information sink in. After a minute, Ryou nodded, his eyes no longer clouded in confusion. "Why did I need to speak in a different tongue?"

A slight smile crossed the Egyptian teen's face. "While the poor victims are losing their minds, they develop an unexplained empathy link that connects to people who speak the same language as they do. Sense is not relevant here, so a simple phrase in Arabic could be something out of the blue in Swahili. However, if said person hears one word in their native speech, the link automatically connects with the speaker. The lost soul is trying to find itself, so it searches through and tries to find three kinds of memories: a childhood memory, the saddest memory, and the happiest memory. Once it has caught whiff of one of those memories… you're trapped. The childhood memory catches the speaker's attention. Usually the memory plays with emotions, stirring up forgotten ones or building up passions lost in the past. Next, probably the worst of all, though some philosophers argue that the third one is," Malik thought for an instant but shook his head. "But the second one finds the saddest memory, the one with the most pain and fear and builds it up. It shows you bits of the memory and then shows future events if this sad memory was extended or not solved."

Shivers ran up and down Ryou's spine as Malik spoke. It was like he was in his mind when that… thing penetrated his soul.

"I have a damn good guess what your sad memory was, don't I?" Malik's smile turned bitter. "The Spirit. Bak—"

"_Please_ don't say _his_ name." Ryou said with such a dangerous force that Malik didn't think such a boy could have. Then again, he didn't know Ryou that well.

"What is the third one?" the Brit asked.

Malik swallowed thickly. "The third one stirs up the greatest joy in your life and then kills everyone and everything in that memory, leaving you utterly alone."

Ryou inhaled sharply. "Oh." He said in a small voice.

"As it finds these memories," Malik continued, "it is trying to find itself before it came here. The goal is to return back home and by finding other humans with memories, it tries to remember it's past. When each memory is being eaten, you become more and more like it. With the childhood memory, you lose your looks, looking more like a zombie ghost. With the sad memory, you lose all sense. With the happy memory, you lose who you formerly were and wander screaming and crying and wondering where the hell you are."

"That's terrible," Ryou stumbled to find the words that described his feelings. "I've never heard anything that sad." The look Malik gave him made his stomach plummet. "But that is not the worst part, is it?"

Malik shook his head. "The memories are not lost. You have every single memory, bright and vibrant as the sun. But you don't remember them. You don't understand them, because each memory is warped."

He paused and Ryou nodded his head slowly as he wrapped his head around all the information Malik was throwing at him. Complex? Very much so. But it was so easy to accept that all of this happened, even if he was still a bit lost. This reminded him…

"Why did that… thing start doing that whole sequence to me?" Ryou asked.

Malik's serious face broke, a small smile crossing his lips. "You didn't realize it at the time, but when he was talking about coconuts or whatever, you said the Japanese equivalent of 'golly'," Malik sniggered at the word choice as a light shade of pink colored Ryou's cheeks.

"Sorry," he said.

Malik waved his hand. "It's fine. If I hadn't intervened, by the time he would have been done you would've become one of them."

"One of what?"

"They have several names according to different sightings, different times, and different cultures. An old name is the Night Ghoul. A more common name of today is Midnight Screamer, but the one most people use is Shadow Breather."

Ryou gulped. "You sure do know a lot about the Shadow Realm," was all he could say.

Malik's dry laugh was humorless. "The pharaoh's history wasn't the only thing I studied when I was living underground." He ran a hand through his ashy blond hair. "We need to find a way out. Where there are portals in, there are portals out."

/…\

"I-I'm sorry. I-I tried."

A hand stroked the hair of the crying Shadow Breather. The figure holding and comforting the creature seemed to be levitating, sitting cross-legged five feet in the air.

"Shh, Norio-chan, you did just fine," it said as the shadow-consumed man continued to cry into its torso. "These guests are just hard to crack, that's all."

The Shadow Breather lifted his head, his left eye changing from white to dark grey in a matter of milliseconds. "Really?"

The figure smiled wide. "Really."

The Shadow Breather screamed a sound of joy and grief mixed in one. "Yuki! Our destination wedding is going right on schedule! Oh, happy day!" He shrieked again and the figure smiled.

"Go on, my child," the figure said. "Go play with you siblings."

Like a happy child, the Shadow Breather ran off, stumbling over his feet and screaming in ecstasy about weddings and guests.

The figure smiled fondly as it watched the Shadow Breather disappear in the dark. "They grow up so fast." It slowly descended from its floating position and lightly landed on its feet. The figure rubbed its hands together in excitement. "Now there is work to be done and an old friend to visit."

/…\

Bakura's smile was long gone, a contempt snarl taking its place. According to his internal clock, he had been wandering the Millennium Puzzle for over three days in Shadow Realm time. Lady Luck must have been against him this time. He had been travelling in circles, passing the same upside down staircase, hallway that slanted downward and same peculiar door. Unlike all the other golden doors, this one was white with a flowery welcome sign hanging from a hook in front of the window. A few cars passed on the street, but mostly the neighborhood was quiet. Bakura almost considered opening the door, but something held him back. Instead, he kicked it, the door's form shimmering and fading, becoming just another gold door… with the Eye of Horus on it. His trademark smirk returned as he opened the door, wondering where it would lead.

/…\

"Who is Amanda?" Malik asked, breaking the silence that had been between the two teens for almost two hours as they wandered the shadowy mist.

"Amane," Ryou corrected, biting his lip. "She… was my sister."

Malik knew that he shouldn't pry, but curiosity got the best of him. "What happened to her?"

"She… and… my mother… died ten years ago in a horrible car accident caused by a drunk driver." Ryou said slowly, his gaze forward, trying his best to keep his face straight.

"I'm so sorry," Malik said sincerely, placing a hand on Ryou's shoulder.

He smiled sadly at his comrade. "Thanks. That… Shadow Breather touched a nerve when he said her name. I was only five, so you can guess how frightening it was for me when I couldn't find my baby sister. Ah, we were playing hide and seek," he explained after seeing Malik's confused expression.

Malik grinned slightly at the mention of the game. Odion, Ishizu, and he used to play it all the time when he was younger. Now he can barely remember a fond memory they shared recently.

"What of your dad?" he asked suddenly.

"Oh," Ryou's smile turned into a grimace. "He's alright. I'm usually alone in my apartment because he is in Egypt a majority of the time. He's one of the head Egyptologists for the Domino Ancient History Museum. They have one of the best Ancient Egyptian sections in the world, so naturally an Egyptologist and his son moved to Domino. Plus… the Ring had already given me enough trouble."

Malik rubbed the back of his head. "Trust me. I know what you mean."

Ryou stopped walking and looked curiously at Malik. "You do, don't you." He chuckled uneasily. "You know, we're sort of in the same boat."

A puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"Well, for one, we both have evil manifestations of ourselves controlling us."

"Well, mine is," Malik said slowly, "but with my dealings with the Spirit, he seems to be his own person entirely."

"I guess," Ryou sighed. "Do you and your darker half have separate soul rooms?"

The usually vibrant and bright lavender eyes hardened. "No. We shared the same mind, so we knew what the other was thinking all of the time. Nothing was ever private."

"Oh my," Ryou gasped. "My deepest apologizes."

"Forget it," Malik waved him off.

"I envy you." Ryou said unexpectedly.

Malik looked at him slowly. "_Why?"_

"You _know _his every thought. I don't. Everything the Spirit does is a mystery to me. All he does is…" Ryou hiccupped as he tried to keep his tears under control. He slid to the ground, trying to keep his composure. He felt silly and humiliated for crying in front of someone he literally met almost a day ago, but he was so angry and hurt and betrayed he couldn't help it.

Malik really didn't know what to do. Yes, he was totally used to crying and tears for _mercy_, but someone crying for another reason altogether was something else. Up to this point, he had been unsympathetic with all the crimes and whatnot he's committed. All his brain would allow him to do was stare and say, "Is?" in a calm voice.

Ryou choked back a sob and looked up at Malik. "Lock m-me up in my soul room. All th-the time. I'm locked in the d-dark and there is n-nothing I c-can do about it."

Malik's heart reached out to the poor white-haired boy. He bent down and put his hands on his shoulders. From his short experience with the Spirit, Ryou was constantly tormented and put down. The Spirit was relentless, phlegmatic, and cruel, enjoying the pain and isolation of his host. He quarantined Ryou from the rest of his friends, and kept him locked away.

Ryou was a really lonely person.

"I-I've tried to fight him but all he d-does is _laugh._" Ryou's sobs caused him to stutter, his thin frame shuddering uncontrollably. "I'm s-sick of being in the dark and not fighting." He frowned hard and pounded his fist on the ground. "I'm not going to put up with it anymore." He said with force and hatred. "I _will _get control of my life. I am not him and I won't let him c-control me."

Malik gave Ryou a lot of credit. Not only did he survive being tortured by the bastard, he had courage. So much. And he was right. Ryou would never be like the Spirit.

_Unlike yourself, _a voice in the back of Malik's mind whispered. _Marik will forever be a part of you, Malik, whether you want him or not._

Malik cursed the fact this was true.

* * *

I realized that Ryou wouldn't know that he was a reincarnation of Akefia. Bakura is secretive and wouldn't let Ryou have a slip-up and go into his soul room. He's not that careless. Ryou would probably be enjoying this freedom he has and realizing that he's been trapped would make him upset and angry. That way my angle. I hope I hit it!

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	4. Mirror, Mirror

Not many changes. The end has one though. ;D

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! doesn't belong to me.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Mirror, Mirror**

Ryou woke to find Malik—yet again—with the Eye of Horus on his tanned forehead. The shadows greedily slithered and skated over him, testing the taste of his soul, waiting impatiently for time to run out.

The white haired boy took out an old pocket watch, hoping the time would be right. It still read 2:37 A.M., the same time the duel between Spirit and Marik ended. His internal Shadow Realm clock said that the two teens have been wandering around in the dark abyss for a week. Throughout this very busy week, they encountered another Shadow Breather—she was blubbering on and on in Gaelic so the two were safe—stumbled upon a few more Duel Spirits, and were transported to different parts of the Shadow Realm twice. The first time was a real shocker because the two seemed to pass through an invisible door into a graveyard full of screaming zombies. Malik had to use a bit of Shadow Magic to open a portal a few seconds later before the angry mob of rotting flesh got to them.

The second time, Ryou tripped and fell into a rip in the shadows, Malik careening behind him. The rip seemed more like a tube; they zipped across the shadows through a straw before being dumped into a maze full of mirrors that showed random events from the past. The reflected objects lined the shadowy "wall" and hung above them like a ceiling. Shortly after examining the new area, the two teens collapsed on the misty floor and fell asleep.

_How long has he been gone? _Ryou thought.

"Malik? Are you okay?"

Ryou jumped in surprise when a sun kissed finger flew up to touch his lips.

"Shh," Malik murmured, his eyebrows scrunched in concentration. "I need silence." He removed his finger from Ryou's lips, returning to his meditative state. The Eye flickered out and Malik's eyes flew open. "It was hard getting a connection." Malik said blandly. "So far nothing has happened and _he _hasn't done anything. It seems he's waiting." He shook his head. "_I _hate waiting like this. I can't do anything in this state."

Ryou looked at him curiously. "What about what Ishizu said?"

A sigh escaped his lips before Malik looked at the Brit. "We're trying. You can vouch for that. But unless I can figure a way out and then how to get back in my body, we're stuck. And I just can't shake all this regret." His eyes widened in surprise as these words, astounded he shared a private thought aloud.

The chocolate-eyed boy nodded his head sadly. "I see. Your life hasn't exactly been a walk in the park."

Malik's smile had no feeling. "Yours hasn't either."

Both teens stood up, glancing at the World War One and Two filled mirrors. Shadows curled around the reflective glass, dancing around the edges and giving the bloody war scenes an even more daunting look. The adolescents walked down the long hallway. They needed out and this endless-looking path didn't look too promising. As they descended down the mirror-lined trail, the glass shifted, no longer showing scenes from Ancient Rome, but doing what a mirror was supposed to do: reflect an image. However, the mirrors did not show the opposite mirror, going back and forth in an infinite pattern of Maliks and Ryous; it only reflected the image that faced it. Mirror Malik swaggered on the right side while Mirror Ryou ambled on the left. The mirror counterparts walked perfectly in step.

Ryou curiously watched his reflection. It looked exactly like Ryou, yes, but there was something different about it that he couldn't put his finger on. Same face, same hair, and same morose expression… same purple bruises under the eyes from the many nights sleep evaded him… same scar on his hand he got from the Spirit last year…

"I've never heard of anything like this before," Malik remarked. "The scriptures were never too specific anyway. 'Course, you never can be too sure what's in the Shadow Realm. And many of the stories are old maid's tales." Malik's reflection nodded in agreement and Ryou gasped loudly, the sound echoing shrilly down the hall.

Malik cursed loudly in Arabic. His mirror copy shook his finger in mock reprimand, an unbalanced smile on his face.

"This is not good." Ryou heard Malik muttering something about being unable to trust mirrors. He glanced over at his own reflection, Mirror Ryou copying him. He stared at his reflection as he walked, a troubled feeling in his gut increasing slowly with each step. The silence that overcame the two boys seemed too sudden and too quite. Just as his uneasiness pinnacled, Mirror Ryou winked and waved.

"Bloody hell!" Ryou exclaimed. His reflection smiled at Ryou's word choice and raised a white eyebrow.

"I knew these weren't just normal mirrors," Malik muttered mostly to himself. He carefully studied the refection, making sure he didn't get too close in case the image in the glass could physically do something to him. He heard Ryou gasp sharply and a hand suddenly and roughly grabbed his arm. Malik turned to retaliate at the sudden motion and found the image in the mirror no longer reflected Ryou. His were eyes sharper, his hair wilder. Malik's mind raced as he gazed at the unfaltering, sneering face of Bakura. He turned abruptly to his reflection. The evil leer of Marik mockingly regarded him. Ryou and Malik's mouths dropped as they stared into the faces of their darker halves.

"Perfect. The one thing that I actually was happy about being without in the dreaded place has returned." Malik growled.

Mirror Marik's smile widened.

Ryou ripped his eyes from the glass, refusing to look at his darker half. Mirror Bakura kept his gaze on Ryou, watching him like a cat watches its prey. Just watched.

Malik, on the other hand, could_ not_ take his eyes off Marik. He glared at him with such loathing and hate the glass should have shattered. Behind that detestation, however, was fear. Malik hated Marik with all of his heart, but he also feared his darker half. But he kept that to himself and glowered at the reflection. Mirror Marik stared right back, his pupil-less eyes unreadable, a lazy, crazed smile on his face.

A long, uncomfortable silence settled as the two teens walked, their reflections watching and waiting.

"I really can't _wait _to get out of this place," Malik muttered to Ryou, never turning his eyes from the glass.

Ryou kept his face forward, his eyes betraying his otherwise stoic expression. "You have no idea how much I agree."

Malik finally shifted his eyes from his reflection and glanced over at Mirror Bakura who turned his eyes at Malik. "At least they can't talk."

Bakura's devilish smile broadened. "What makes you say that?"

The teens stopped in their tracks and glanced at each other.

"Oh great," Malik exhaled angrily. "Just what I need."

"Mirror, mirror reflecting as you stroll, we peer so deep into your soul. You look for you but now you see, your Yami Malik, your evil me." Mirror Marik grinned lazily, happy with the little rhyme. "Clever, aren't I?"

Malik curled his lip and ignored his darker half's comment.

"Oh, we can't harm you."

"Psychologically you can," Malik mumbled under his breath.

Mirror Marik either did not hear him or disregarded what he said. He fixed his eyes on the adjacent mirror, his smile hinting a bit more on the insane side as he looked at Bakura. "Long time, no see."

Mirror Bakura stared defiantly at the twisted man in the reflection and barked something in Ancient Egyptian. Whatever it was must have been extraordinarily rude because Malik flinched—with a slight smile—and Marik's grin dropped.

"You have a very colorful tongue." Marik said in a clipped, monotone voice.

"Bite me."

Ryou and Malik once more glanced at each other, one wearing a look of amused nervousness, the other of loathing fright. The end of the corridor of mirrors suddenly seemed copiously longer, and both were thinking the same thing: _get us out of here._

If only the Shadow Realm worked at will.

"Why exactly—ow, Ryou that hurts—are you here?" Malik inquired, rubbing the spot on his arm Ryou grabbed. "_How _can you be here?"

"Technically, we aren't really 'here.'" Bakura answered in a bored tone. "We're in your head."

"Get out."

A sarcastic smile. "I wish we could." His eyes narrowed as he watched the two hikaris. "Until you leave the Hall of Mirrors, you are stuck with us." His smile darkened momentarily before he frowned. "Not a very creative name if you ask me." His eyed flickered over to Ryou and a slight, satisfied smile crossed his lips.

Ryou wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Yes, the Shadow Realm was horrifying, awful, and spine chilling and he felt lost and hopeless, but he also had Malik—who probably felt the same way even though he had further experience and knew a great amount more. Nevertheless, the Spirit was not there. For the first time in a very long time, he was free. And he was happy. Then he showed up again—in a mirror, nonetheless—and Ryou was trapped once more, a skylark locked in a cage.

He clenched his fists and staggered a sigh. "Why won't you leave me alone for once?" He whispered in a pained voice, directing his question to his reflection but his eyes never leaving the floor.

Mirror Bakura's smile was cruel. "Poor, Yadonushi. My presence is just making him writhe."

Indeed, Ryou was squirming. Two face-to-face encounters with the Spirit in such a short time was a little much for him. He mustered up the courage to look at the Spirit's eyes, feeling the red irises boring into his brown eyes. "Just… go. Leave… leave me be."

"I wish I could," he answered mockingly, laughing cruelly. His eyes moved a second to the opposing mirror, glowering at Marik who slothfully observed the two of them. Malik heeded his darker half no attention at this point. "I really do. But your discomfort and fretfulness are just too much fun to watch." His blood red eyes shined with a twisted light. Ryou couldn't shake him.

Without taking his eyes off Mirror Bakura, Marik turned his head in Malik's direction. "Hello, little light."

Malik ignored him.

Marik clicked his tongue. "So cruel to me? Why little light? Why Malik-dear? I helped you get to where you are today! Look at you! Look at us! Our goal is almost completed!"

Malik tightened his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists to release his anger.

"Of course," Mirror Marik beamed at him, the usually happy look creepy and fake. "You wouldn't have been able to do any of this without _me._"

Malik shut his eyes and continued walking forward. _Clench, unclench… clench, unclench…_

"Thank you so much for _my_ body, weaker half." The warped reflection giggled.

Malik finally cracked. "Weaker half my ass!" he yelled angrily. "That's _my _body you fucking son of a bitch!"

Marik's indolent grin widened to something humanly impossible. "Since _you_ released me," he said slowly, glancing down at his fingernails. "I guess that makes you," his chaotic eyes snapped up to meet Malik's lavender eyes, "the bitch."

Malik suddenly stopped walking.

Ryou paused and looked worriedly at his friend.

Bakura silently watched the yami and hikari face off in spiritless amusement.

Marik waited.

And Malik began to shake. Too many years of listening to a _voice in his head._ All the pent up anger and frustration inside him was released in one hard swift punch aimed at the mirror. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces, the crashing sound echoing down the path, millions of tiny shards shining in an unknown light like diamonds. A black hole of misty shadows swirled where the mirror once stood.

Malik wiped the blood dripping down his knuckles on his pants, taking a moment to let the rest of the anger leave. "That… was very satisfying." He laughed, long and loud, before breathing a sigh of relief. "I needed that." He moved his gaze to where the mirror once stood and cocked an eyebrow. "I… think… I found our ticket out of here." He tested the inky black shadows with his foot, watching curiously as it disappeared.

An ominous silence hung in the air before the first tremor started. Then another. Soon the whole hallway was shaking.

"An earthquake?" Ryou asked Malik.

Malik shook his head and watched as the first mirror cracked, exploded, and broke. Ryou yelped as a shaving of glass cut his pale cheek, the small line of red pooling. The whole hall was collapsing, shards of the reflective glass soaring everywhere as each mirror splintered.

"I'll see you soon enough, Landlord," Bakura's harsh laughter was cut short when the mirror fragmentized, breaking into a million little shards.

"C'mon!" Ryou grabbed Malik's arm and dragged him into the shadows, the sound of breaking glass fading in the back.

/…\

Caverns were very pesky things in Bakura's opinion. That is just where that door led him, a golden cavern, and the weathered bricks stretching miles above him. Fog misted and churned at his feet, the dark purple clouds flashing like lightning every once in awhile. Staircases randomly floated around, melting into the floor and walls. Suddenly, the ground collapsed under him and Bakura found himself falling into an eternal pit of black.

/…\

Relief washed over Ryou as the shadows curled around the two teen boys, carrying them to another part of the Shadow Realm. The black vortex dropped them into a pit of grey fog. When they stood up, they sighed, thankful no mirrors were in sight. The shadows here were calmer, slinking around slowly on the ground. The fog wasn't as thick and Ryou could see the ground thirty feet ahead of him. A Harpy Lady Duel Spirit floated in. She cried out a sorrowful sound and sped off.

"I hate to say this," Ryou started, ire and malice creeping into his voice, "but I think the only way we are going to escape is if we find my darker half. I feel he will know how to get out, and he can't do anything without… me."

Malik looked at him slowly. He saw how Ryou struggled with this idea, how he struggled with the fact that they needed Bakura. Malik's Shadow Magic was limited, and he didn't even know if Ryou could do any. He nodded in agreement and the two walked forward in determination. Who knew how long the Pharaoh would take to destroy Marik? They couldn't wait to find out.

Ryou stretched him arms, cherishing his limited freedom once again.

/…\

Somewhere in the darkest part of the Shadow Realm, a crackle of blue and green light flashed, revealing monsters that lurked in the darkness. The lights changed and crackled, like someone was casting spells at whim.

A figure in the distance watched, a shadow curling around its arm. It caressed the shadow like a pet. A sudden peal of laughter echoed around and the figure sighed.

"Murzix, you haven't changed."

* * *

AND NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA WHO THESE PEEPS ARE! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

You have no idea how happy they make me.

Much didn't change except for the end and some add ins.

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	5. Lines of Past

I am fixing this chapter on my brand-spanking-new MacBook! :D Yay life. It'll take some time to get used to it, so I thought I'd do that a little today—not to mention I suck at capture the flag which is what many other freshman are doing.

ATTENTION: BIG CHANGE AT THE END. THERE IS A LARGE ADD-IN.

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! does not belong to me. However, I take creative license over most Shadow Realm ideas, this story, and everything that is not canon but fits in with the canon if that makes sense.

Just a little reminder:

/...\ switches from one person to another when there are people in different locations

:::^::: is time passage like usual

* * *

**Chapter 5**

** Lines of Past **

_Falling, falling, falling, down, down, down, dark, dark, dark. He was sinking fast, the pit of black swallowing him up. A cackle of laughter echoed around in the black. Voices of souls long lost tickled, whispered in his ear._

"_He knows," they hissed. "He's here." He fell slowly as a reflection-less mirror following him as he descended down. He tried to hear, but couldn't. He tried to talk, but couldn't. He tried to see, but couldn't. The mirror shattered and the black consumed him. He was dying. The shadows slithered and crawled and ate him as he fell. The laughter continued, the whispers increased in volume, and he was suffocating, suffocating, falling, falling, dying, dying. He couldn't breathe. And a pair of red eyes always watched. Just watched. Watched as he fell, fell, fell, down, down, down, dark, dark, dark…_

"_Lost, lost, lost…" the shadows ate at him as the whispers licked at his ears. "Give up hope…hope…hope. None now…" The laughter shifted and changed to the sound of dry ice, cold heartlessness, ruthlessness. The laugh before a murder. His body grew numb, icy cold rushing through his veins as he fell, dying, as the shadows swallowed and gnawed. The laugh pierced his soul, his heart, ripping it out, shredding it, and lacing it with fear. And the eyes just watched. The voices danced around, whispering, nipping._

"_He's here…"_

Ryou woke drenched in cold sweat, his hand tightly clasped to his chest, his heart thumping hard and loud in his ribcage. This was the worst one yet. He's had terrible nightmares before, but these ones have taken a turn for the dark. The Shadow Realm now inhabited his mind, changing things, shading others. It truly was a nightmare that went on. Malik wasn't lying when he said that.

The Shadow Realm, he learned from the past two weeks—in Shadow time anyway—was an interesting place. It played with feelings, toyed with dreams, and twisted judgment. If he thought the Spirit was bad, the Shadow Realm made him look like a butterfly. Of course, he didn't really know the Spirit well. They didn't have great communication skills. It was more of an I'm-going-to-use-your-body-and-let-you-wake-up-pla ces sort of relationship.

Malik stirred in his sleep but didn't wake. Ryou silently watched him, knowing his insomnia would not let him fall back asleep. His stomach growling angrily at him and he crossed his arms, aware and sad he was unable to get food. So he just did what he always did when he was awake: wait.

/…\

Bakura was in a fix. He had implanted a bit of his soul in the Puzzle so if his main body was ever sent to the Shadow Realm he could always just go there. However, with the turns, never ending hallways, stairs that led to nowhere and doors that just opened to the same series of obstacles, the main part of his soul ended up back in the Shadow Realm. As soon as he found himself back in the shadows he tried and found to no avail he was able to travel back to that small part in the Puzzle; he was unable to _locate _the small part.

He growled, annoyed at this small inconvenience. However, being as crafty as he is, he could attain a certain card to help him get out of the pickle he was in and maybe even get him back into the real world.

/…\

Ryou silently watched Malik shuffle through his Duel Monsters deck. His lavender eyes scanned over the cards as he flipped through them, pausing here and there to read the description. He hummed an old Egyptian tune as he did so, filling the eerie silence of the Shadow Realm with a comfortable sound and making the quiet more bearable. The purple fog swirled around the two teens, inviting them to lose themselves in the endless foggy haze. Naturally, neither of them obliged and remained sitting in the stillness.

The silence soon returned however when the song concluded on a low "C." Malik reached up and scratched his cheek, smudging the black that curved under his eye. He looked at his finger and sighed, annoyed at the residue on his fingertip. He wiped the substance on his equally black pants before returning to Ryou's deck.

Ryou watched the whole ordeal with mild curiosity. He ran his hand through his smooth white hair and scrunched his eyebrows together. After staring at the smudged line under Malik's eye for another minute, Ryou finally opened his mouth.

"Malik? Why do you wear eyeliner?" Pure inquisitiveness filled his voice as he asked.

Malik stopped shifting through the cards, a deep crimson blush creeping into his tan cheeks. He still was staring at the same card when he answered, "It's not eyeliner."

Ryou raised an eyebrow. "No? Then what is it?"

"…Kohl."

"Which is?"

Malik breathed deeply and lifted his eyes to meet Ryou's soft brown ones. "It was used back in Ancient Egypt by the pharaohs and guardians, and…" he hesitated and moved out of his reclining position to Indian style. "The Ishtar Clan. It's a symbol of power and importance. Everyone in the Ishtar Clan wears it. Odion, Ishizu, my father…" His voice changed and got gruffer. "Even my other half complies with the ancient tradition." His face suddenly lightened, a small smirk replaced the frown. "You'd think that since I betrayed and dishonored my family in every way possible I'd stop with this one silly tradition." Ryou waited patiently as Malik's smirk faded and he became grave again. "I keep it for my sister."

"You've talked about your father a lot in past tense," Ryou observed. "Did something happen to him."

Malik ruffled his ashy blond hair. "I knew this conversation would come up sooner or later," he muttered more to himself. He turned his gaze back to the pulsing shadows. "I… my darker side… my yami… we…" he knit his eyebrows together as he searched for words. Before he knew what he was doing he spluttered his story about his father being cruel, about being forced into getting the pharaoh's secret carved into his back, everything.

His smile was ironic. "So, out of anger, fear, and sadness, I…" he paused again and bit his lip in a frustrated fashion. "My dark… _we,_" he wasn't happy with his choice, but it was the best he could go with, "killed my father."

Ryou's lack of emotion was startling. Malik was uneasy as he watched the white-haired boy, not sure what was going through his mind. He jumped when Ryou's hand slowly reached out, placing itself on Malik's knee. It was a small gesture, but enough to get the message through.

"I'm sorry."

Malik usually hated that term, but for once it summed up everything he'd been through in a clean sentence. He and Ryou has seen and done more in sixteen years than a seasoned elder had in his life.

A shadow slithered over Malik as if to offer some comfort, but all it was interested in was the deck of cards that were strewn around the feet of the two teens.

"No!" Ryou exclaimed and grabbed at the shadow as it passed him. Malik was suddenly next to him, wiping a tear from his eye. The kohl marking was no longer smudged.

"I'll be fine," he insisted when Ryou put his hand on his shoulder. "What's done is done. I can't change the past. I need to learn to forgive myself and make a better future. Your cards, however, are our only source of protection in this Ra forsaken place." He seized Ryou's forearm and began sprinting in the direction that shadow was going. "If we can't get them, we're screwed."

/…\

The dark figure strolled over to where the blasts of light were coming from. It marveled at the majesty of the castle, admiring the fine details. The figure melted into a small shadow, slipping under the door and passing the magical enchantments and alarms with quiet stealth. The shadow swirled up and once more assumed the humanesque form it was so fond of. It walked down stone stairs into a dungeon, another figure standing over and cauldron, a small, glowing green orb hovering over its shoulder.

"Do you want something?" His voice was cold and on the edge of annoyance.

"Not particularly." The figure in the doorway replied, a sly smile crossing its lips.

The man in front of the cauldron pushed his glasses up his nose and frowned at the potion. "More horn-tongue." He muttered and the green orb floated away through another door and swiftly came back with a jar. He plucked two from the jar and threw them into the brew, a neon blue light filling the room in a quick flash. The little orb flew the jar out of sight.

"You never come to me unless you need something." He turned to the figure in the doorway, his silver eyes narrowing, almost covering the red "X" he had for pupils. His glasses glared as he lowered his head, only one eye visible in the dark.

The figure frowned. "Oh, you don't feel like playing today, Murzix?" It clicked its tongue.

Murzix sighed and turned back to the cauldron. He held his hand out and the green orb flew to him willingly. He muttered something and threw the orb into the draft. The room erupted into beautiful green light before settling back to the dark.

"What did you make?" The figure asked, inching forward to get a look at his concoction.

Murzix smiled slowly. "Something personal." He slapped the figure's hand when it tried to touch the bubbling green liquid. "Don't you dare."

The figure put its hands up in a surrender fashion and snapped its fingers, a cluster of shadows slipping under the door and forming a chair. It sat down and folded its hands over its lap, smiling broadly at its companion. "Will you do me a favor?"

"Depends on the favor."

"Have you noticed our special guests?"

Murzix turned to face the figure, an expression of minor curiosity on it. "I have." He said simply.

The figure's smile widened madly. "Will you help me screw with their minds?"

"You aren't one for bluntness."

"You silly, magician," the figure chucked, "I _haven't _been blunt. I noticed them from the moment they arrived and I've been slipping little shadows here and there, sending out my babies—"

"_Those _monstrosities?" Murzix scoffed. "I've never understood you with the Shadow Breathers."

"You animated them." The figure shot back.

The magician sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What do you want, Azazel?"

Azazel gave him one of his most devious smiles. "What you do best: a maze."

* * *

LOOK! They have names and you finally somewhat know who this mysterious figure is! Hazah! Azazel has a big role in this. Just wait. *waggles eyebrows*

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	6. Discoveries

Well, I thought I'd start chapter six since I needed something new instead of just updating old stuff. I don't know how this is going to go, so bear with me. I just have a notebook full of ideas and for some reason it starts with chapter seven instead of six, so…

*shrugs*

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Discoveries**

Experiencing something and seeing something were two different things. To experience, one has to try new food, learn about the culture, participate in ethnic activities and traditions, and completely divulge in the newness that he/she is experiencing.

Seeing is more along the lines of driving on the highway and saying one was in so-and-so place when one really just stopped at a rest stop to grab a bite to eat and use the bathroom.

Malik saw the world.

He never _experienced _it.

It was like he was a puppet, someone from the _inside _controlling his motives. He was in control—or struggled to be in control—and knew what he was doing the entire time. He assembled the Rare Hunters, killed those who resisted, and stole precious treasures. Marik was the one goading him on though. He planted a seed and let it grow with little words and by pretending he was on Malik's side the entire time when in reality he wanted to go on with his own plan. As he looked back on it, Malik realized _he _didn't want to kill the pharaoh. He was angry that he was stuck in a hole in the ground for the rest of his life. At first he was angry with the pharaoh, but the truth of it was his father kept them there. Whipping Odion wasn't the only reason he killed his father; he kept Malik from living a real life.

Marik took revenge to the next level.

All of his plans, everything from leaving the Ishtar Clan to entering Battle City was to get to the pharaoh. He even allowed Malik to get a motorcycle to appease a childhood dream. Malik did everything; he couldn't blame his darker half for that. Marik was the darker force that goaded him on, only to reveal his plans at the end. Maybe a bit of him did want to kill the pharaoh.

It didn't matter anyway.

/…\

Ryou had many things to think about. His father… School… How hungry he was… His sister and mother… Yugi and his other friends… Anything but _him,_ that constant pain and torture that resided inside. He couldn't look in a mirror without shuttering and thinking in disgrace of how much he resembled the Spirit. Why did he have to look like him? Ryou had never hated anyone as much. There were few things that Ryou knew of the Spirit, but he seemed to know everything of Ryou. Occasionally, Ryou would find one of the Monster World figurines on his bedside table or his journal open to different pages of times when he woke up in very peculiar places or situations. Sometimes late at night he could hear a door rapidly open and close in the back of his mind. He once fell asleep in his bed and woke up at his sister's tombstone. The Spirit rarely talked to him, but he was very good at giving hints at knowing Ryou's life story. It appeared he'd watch as things played out if he wasn't impersonating Ryou or taking over his body.

He couldn't help it anyway.

:::^:::

The Shadow Realm wasn't just going to let Ryou and Malik chase the cards easily.

As the two boys ran after the shadow, a swimming pool size hole opened up and swallowed them. The wormhole swirled different shades of purple and blue before dumping them out in a thick, misty room lined with clocks that hung from all different angles.

Ryou glanced at Malik. Malik was just as doubtful.

"Hey don't look at me," he said. "I don't know everything."

Ryou shrugged. "Based on your prior knowledge then."

"Okay then…" Malik took a moment to think and then gave Ryou a look. "I have no idea where the hell we are."

An eerie silence suddenly overcame the two teens.

Then one of the clocks chimed.

"What time is it?" a voice said.

Neither boy spoke.

"No one knows?" The voice said. "Well, I'll have to check for myself."

One of the clocks suddenly moved, jumping off the wall and strolling in front of Ryou. "You seem like a distinguished young fellow," it said. "Could you please tell me what time it is?"

The clock had grown with each word it spoke, starting at a small six inches high and reaching three feet. The clock donned a purple cape held up by two gears on either side of the round face, two arms loosely hanging from the gears. Two feet sprouted from another set of gears toward the bottom of the face. It held a staff with a little clock on the top, the hands constantly spinning around.

Ryou blinked at the creature before turning his head to Malik, lifting his eyebrow at the Egyptian. Malik shrugged, the same look of bemusement on his face.

"I'm sorry, sir," Ryou answer with sincerity, "I couldn't hazard a guess as to what time it is."

The Time Wizard rubbed the middle of his face much the way a human would rub his chin. "That's such a shame." He pulled out a cartoon-sized coin. "Well it just so happens I lied and I do know the time."

Ryou's excitement got to the best of him and he opened his mouth without thinking. "You do? Could you tell us what time it is here?" He clapped his hands over his mouth.

"Of course!" The Time Wizard said. "But I'll flip for it. Heads," he picked up the coin and waved his hand over the smooth surface. The metal rose in a pattern and the faces of Malik and Ryou engraved on the surface. "Heads and I'll tell you what time it is here and on earth. Tails," he flipped the coin and waved his hand over it again and his face appeared. "Tails, and… well, you'll find out. Ready?"

The boys nodded and the Time Wizard threw the coin high in the air. It seemed to flip and turn in slow motion as gravity came into play, the coin falling back to the ground. It landed with a hard clatter, Malik and Ryou's hearts stopping as the face of the Time Wizard stared up at them.

The Time Wizard clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Such a shame. Rules are rules though!" He held up his staff and the hands spun at lightning speed.

"Rewind!"

/…\

An unsettling feeling rose in the pit of Bakura's gut as he waited for the shadow servant he sent out to retrieve Ryou's deck to come back. The feeling made him angry. How could he be this way when he was in his own _realm? _It didn't make any sense.

A slight wind rose around him, a message that the shadow was near.

"Ah, there we go," he said, smiling as the dark vesper glided into view, a deck of cards wrapped in a ghostly tentacle. Bakura stretched his arm out just as the shadow reached him…

….and it vanished.

The cards, shadow, everything was gone. Bakura was flabbergasted. For once, he didn't know how to react.

"This," he said with a humorless smile and tone in his voice, "doesn't happen to _me._" He repeatedly flicked his wrist, attempting to bend the shadows and salvage the cards, but to his avail each effort was inoperable. No matter how many times he called the shadows, they wouldn't respond. Bakura's ire was beginning to boil. For the first time in the five thousand years he was sealed in the Millennium Ring—although he denied to confess it verbally—he didn't know what to do.

A thought, small but sure, stirred in the caverns of his mind and he closed his eyes, annoyance washing over him.

"Well, if there is nothing left to do," he said, agitated, "it's time to find those insufferable boys."

/…\

"I sincerely am a crafty bastard," Azazel said to himself as he shuffled through the deck of cards one of his servants obtained for him.

"Don't toot your own horn," Murzix grunted. The magician and shadow moved out of Murzix's study to a room resembling a kitchen. The little green orb had returned and was zooming about, grabbing food from different parts of the room and frying, cutting, and boiling them.

Azazel mock frowned. "Am I not allowed to be proud of myself?" He smiled and pushed off the ground to hover five feet in the air; he crossed his legs and resumed shifting through the deck. "Hmm, he actually has a pretty good deck. Duel Monsters. Hn." He looked down at Murzix and smiled at him. "You really have outdone yourself."

Murzix couldn't stop his small smile. "Animating articles is my specialty."

"What was that about tooting your horn?"

Murzix returned to his usual stoic composure and cleared his throat purposefully. "What do you plan on undertaking with those?"

The inky black tie around Azazel's neck loosened and waved lazily in a nonexistent wind. "I was just going to keep hold of them for a bit. You can't have a good time with guests if they have a way to protect themselves." He grinned widely.

Murzix shook his head impatiently and waved off the little green orb, the small ball of light making a sad noise when its master snubbed the food it prepared. It flew up to Azazel who lifted his eyebrow at the platter.

"What is it?"

"I don't know," Murzix said impatiently, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ask it."

The little orb chirped and twittered something and beckoned Azazel to take one of the little balls. He looked at it skeptically but gingerly took a reddish brown lump off the tray and popped it in his mouth. He chewed slowly and nodded approvingly at the green sphere. It gave the impression of jumping for joy before giving Azazel the tray and soaring away.

"Any clue what this is?" Azazel waved one of the russet chunks.

Murzix uninterestedly looked up from a text that appeared in his hand. "No idea." He shut the book and it vanished in a breath of smoke. "Are we going to do something productive or are you merely going to endure playing games of cat and mouse?"

The shadow took a small bite of the green orb's creation and chewed thoughtfully. "We can't just go straight into the fun part," he said slyly. "You have to drag it out."

"Never to the point," the magician exhaled heatedly. "I understand the taking your time part, but not the _dragging it out._"

Azazel pursed his lips and chucked. "Of course you don't." He waved his hand, the platter and cards disappeared in flurry of shadows. "It's not _your _style."

"And it's yours?"

"I'm a crafty bastard."

Murzix groaned. "You're using it in the wrong context. Moreover, how can you call yourself such a name? That term didn't even exist two hundred years ago, let alone two million years ago."

"Don't speak that way," Azazel scoffed and floated down so his feet touched the ground. "You make us sound so _old._"

"We _are _that old."

"Serious as usual." Azazel's smile was heckling. "This is why I work alone."

"Conceited and arrogant as usual." Murzix's smile wasn't as wide, but it held the same water. He scratched the front of his neck, his inhumanly long, sharp fingers grazing a scar that protruded from his paper-white skin. "Remind me why I am helping you."

Azazel's tie flitted around excitedly. "Do you honestly not know who our guests are?"

Murzix narrowed his silver eyes, the red "X" shaped iris shrinking to an upside-down "V." "I surcease paying attention to humanly simplicities such as who meanders into our dwelling."

Azazel's grey face darkened. "Are you comparing me to those simpletons?"

"Observing who appears and departs the Shadow Realm is the equivalent of keeping up with tabloids. It is cheap entertainment."

A red glint flashed across Azazel's eyes, his white iris becoming almost invisibly small against the blacks of his eyes. "I do it because neither of you will."

Murzix fell silent and studied his comrade with derision. "If you have nothing of importance to say, I will have Wioqu show you out." The little green orb flew in the room at the sound of its name, bouncing up and down in anticipation.

"If you want me to leave, just say so." Azazel stood up fully and shoved his hands into his pitch-black jeans. He started walking out the door, the little orb drifting next to him. He turned he grey face back so he could see Murzix with one eye. "I just thought I'd let you know that the Spirit of the Millennium Ring is here."

Murzix froze in his footsteps. "What did you say?"

Azazel craned his head back at an impossible angle. "You heard me."

The sorcerer motioned for Azazel to come back in and the shadow spun his body around. "You aren't jesting."

"Why would I kid about something like that?" Azazel's smile was Cheshire-like. "Would you like to help me now?"

"More than ever." Murzix's blue hair caught a small fire. "What shall I do first?"

/…\

It was as if the whole of the Shadow Realm was against him. Bakura couldn't call on the shadows to retrieve the cards. The shadows wouldn't respond to him at all. The fog seemed to collect around him like he was a magnet. Duel Spirits didn't notice his passing by, like they intentionally ignored him. He didn't even know what time it was.

"What the bloody _hell _is going on?" He growled to no one in particular. He was just another mortal sucked into the labyrinth Shadow Realm.

_No. _He was _not _just any ordinary mortal—hell, he wasn't even a mortal. Even with his added years and experience, he had no clue to what was happening.

"Do you have any idea?" He asked aloud.

The air was silent.

Bakura huffed, displeased by his predicament. No, he wasn't just another person wandering the dark, but he _was _in the same state as his host and that whiney teenager. A sad quandary, but one must move on.

He took a step forward and fell through a wormhole.

* * *

I know, I know. Murzix and Azazel took up most of this chapter, but I do have reasons behind it. I wouldn't add random OCs to a story if I didn't think they'd help it. And they will. Trust me. Not to mention I needed some description of them. If you check, I have a link to what they look like—chibi form—in my profile!

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	7. Sharks Are Circling

I'm really tired and bored.

Might as well update.

If you're fully curious to see what Azazel and Murzix look like, here's a link: w w w. mahersal . deviantart art/ Shadow- Realmers -346203000 (No spaces.) Enjoy and all that jazz.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but some of the ideas and original characters are mine.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Sharks Are Circling**

If the inability to use Shadow Magic was problematical enough, locating two incompetent mortals was going to be impossible. Scared was not a word that was often used in Bakura's vocabulary unless he was referring to someone else, but he was feeling apprehensive and walked cautiously through the dark, barren storm of swirling shadows. The air was thick and almost claustrophobic, something he never noticed until this moment.

_So this is what it is like, _he though indifferently to himself. A part of him welcomed the choking feeling, slightly enjoying the difficulty of breathing. It was a small form of security in a way, this lack of breath. It was a way for him to get to know his victims better, to better understand what they feel during a Shadow Game or when they were sent here. Bakura knew this unfortunate circumstance would pass; shadows do have minds of their own and would return to their master.

"They will return, won't they," his words were stale, a statement of fact than question of what if.

A slight breeze picked up and the shadows were swept away like dust, a mirror standing idly on a mound. As Bakura neared it, he noticed the reflection was not of himself. The figure had purple skin, was at least a foot taller, and wore a black leather vest. Horns sprouted from the temples and curved around his head. A pair of dark wings stretched and retracted. A plum colored chain clipped around his belt moved in a wave pattern like it had a mind of its own, brushing around his black jeans and hovering in the air. His hair was aubergine, matching his wings. His piercing blood-red eyes surveyed Bakura as he approached.

"A human-eque form," Bakura mused, his lips turned in a smirk, "I swore you hated humans and sought their destruction."

The figure in the mirror growled dangerously. "I do. This is for convenience."

"Ah, so you do prefer a smaller form to trekking around your realm as a huge beast."

The figure glowered at Bakura. "There is nothing here that needs to be intimidated."

"Intimidation. I see."

For once, Zorc didn't have anything to say.

"Why am I unable to call the shadows?" Bakura kept his voice even, using every ounce of his willpower to control his anger.

Zorc's face was frozen with boredom, but his eyes gave away the anger, confusion—was that fear?—and ire that flashed across the red surface. "I do not know."

"You're lying." Bakura countered quickly. "Do you honestly think I can't tell when you lie, especially to _me?_"

"Are you challenging me?" Zorc said darkly. "You of anyone should know that is a foolish thing to do."

"I am well aware," Bakura said carefully, keeping his face guarded, "I already learned that lesson. But it seemed you would know what was going on since this is your"—_our—_"territory."

"I do not know," Zorc repeated. "Do not pester me with trivial things. Unless you have something of particular interest to say, I prefer you not to speak to me."

Bakura pursed his lips. "You seem awfully cranky. What has your knickers in a wad?"

The glare Zorc gave Bakura should've vaporized him on the spot. "Such crude language. So this is what the human race has come to. More of a reason for me to rid of them."

"My language doesn't appeal to his majesty?" Bakura said snidely.

"Do not test me, Akefia."

Bakura closed his mouth slowly, his lips forming a hard line.

Zorc finally spoke after a few moments of tense silence. "Your coming here has caused a stir through the Shadow Realm. Enough to get the attention of some dangerous enemies."

"You have enemies beside the pharaoh and his squad of cheerleaders?" Bakura asked, almost incredulous.

A shadow passed over the demon's face. "Unfortunately so."

"Why was I not aware of this?"

"You do not need to know everything of my business, simple human—"

"I am not so simple to be connected to you—"

"You connection to me was _my _choice—"

"_I_ was the one who summoned you—"

"_And I answered your call_—"

"_But I accepted your offer_."

Bakura's chest was pressed against the glass, the shadows around him agitated and wriggling around his feet, his red-brown eyes alight with an evil power. Zorc looked down at him with disgust, a dark, unknown authority emanating off him in powerful pulses.

"You surprise me, Akefia," Zorc imparted, "I assumed your skills would enable you to slither out of this."

"In case you forgot, I can't do anything in the real world without a host," Bakura said evenly. "And I don't go by that name in this form."

"Grown fond of that little host body of yours?" The smirk on Zorc's face was derisive.

Bakura's malicious glare even made Zorc—if only the smallest amount—uneasy. "Never. It's an alias if not a way to make the boy's skin crawl. Though I have far more respect for the human race—I once being one—I still am not too doting of their tripe and primitive dramas of dull and trifling issues such as politics and war."

"Bakura then."

"Are you still Zorc in this form, or do you have a nickname as well?"

"_Do not test me, Bakura._"

"Zorc then."

"I cannot promise you anything," Zorc said factually.

"I am aware. We grow closer and farther daily. Why do you not always answer?" Bakura snarled.

"I do not bother myself with your problems. They are of little importance to me."

"My inability to use Shadow Magic is of little importance to you?" Bakura's sarcasm dripped of acid.

"That is not my problem."

"Have you been able to use yours?"

Zorc's booming laugh shook the mirror, the glass threatening to shatter. "Certainly. The shadows would be imprudent not to answer."

Bakura narrowed his eyes. "You aren't concerned I have no access to them?"

His red eyes bored into Bakura's for a moment. Without warning, they widened slightly with mild surprise. "Ordinarily no, but something has come to my concern. I must divert my attention elsewhere. I will help you this time, Bakura, but do not count on me. You have been alive for five thousand years. You should know by now how to handle yourself." Zorc growled low and loud and a pale, human snake-like creature phased through the mirror. "Diabound will guide you. You have not lost connection with your Ka, have you?"

"No. I haven't felt compelled enough to call him."

"If you forget your past, you will not be able to continue with the future."

"My past is what drives me, or have you forgotten?"

Diabound screeched and nudged Bakura's shoulder with his hand.

"Do not disturb me again, Akefia."

"You answered my call," Bakura said snidely.

Zorc sneered at him and the glass faded to transparency then to nothing as Zorc's image faded.

Diabound looked at his master, waiting for his word.

Bakura nodded him on and they passed through the mirror.

"Sometimes I wonder why I work with him," Bakura wondered mostly to himself.

He actually didn't.

/…\

"What time is it?" a voice said.

"This is familiar," Ryou said quietly to Malik.

"I agree," Malik replied, "like an odd case of déjà vu."

"No one knows?" The voice said. "Well, I'll have to check for myself."

One of the clocks suddenly moved, jumping off the wall and strolling in front of Ryou. "You seem like a distinguished young fellow," it said. "Could you please tell me what time it is?"

Ryou blinked at the Time Wizard before turning his head to Malik, lifting his eyebrow at the Egyptian. Malik shrugged, the same look of bemusement on his face.

"I'm sorry, sir," Ryou answer with sincerity, "have we met you before?"

The Time Wizard rubbed the middle of his face much the way a human would rub his chin. "I'm not sure. I met many different fellows down here, so I often lose track of how many I've seen." He pulled out a cartoon-sized coin. "Do you know what time it is?"

The boys shook their heads and the Time Wizard shook his finger at them.

"Now, now," he said. "That is a shame. I have fibbed to you both however. I do know the time!"

"Could you please tell us what time it is then?" Ryou's mouth worked faster than his brain and he covered it with his hands.

"Of course!" The Time Wizard said. "But I'll flip for it. Heads," he picked up the coin and waved his hand over the smooth surface. The metal rose in a pattern and the faces of Malik and Ryou engraved on the surface. "Heads and I'll tell you what time it is here and on Earth. Tails," he flipped the coin and waved his hand over it again and his face appeared. "Tails, and… well, you'll find out. Ready?"

Malik crossed his arms and shrugged indifferently and Ryou nodded eagerly, earning a glare from Malik. If one thing the two had learned about Duel Spirits, it's that you should be cautious if they make an offer. Many times it is just a trick.

"Here we go!" The Time Wizard threw the coin high in the air. It flipped and turned in slow motion as it flew up and as gravity came into play, the coin fell back to the ground with equal slowness. It landed with a hard clatter, Malik and Ryou's hearts stopping as the face of the Time Wizard stared up at them.

The Time Wizard clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Such a shame. Rules are rules though!" He held up his staff and the hands spun at lightning speed. Malik's eyes widened and he jumped forward, attempting to grab the staff.

"Wait—!"

"Rewind!"

/…\

Diabound was a little more than excited to be reunited with his master. He refrained from growing to his full size, keeping a consistent height of six feet so he could feel closer to Bakura. The Duel Spirit kept uncharacteristically hugging him, the snake end almost purring whenever it wrapped itself around Bakura.

Bakura, however, was not taking the monster's affections kindly. He put up for it for the first five times, but after receiving a wet kiss on the cheek from the snake, he shoved the monster off.

"Diabound, please control your excitement," he said, agitated. "You are here for business."

_Why have you not summoned me in duels, master? _The monster questioned.

"You know why," Bakura's tone was tired now, no longer annoyed. "It would give me away. It is not the right time."

The Duel Spirit nodded sadly in understanding. _I know. I just wish you would. After five thousand years… _He trailed off dejectedly.

Bakura placed a hand on Diabound's shoulder. "I understand, old friend." Bakura's smirk was softer, leaning almost to a real smile.

Diabound smiled—more leered—in gratification.

The smirk on Bakura's face faded and a dark look replaced it. "You know where they are."

_Yes, master, I do. _Diabound cocked him head to the side. _Are you not glad and relieved to be reunited with your host?_

Bakura's chuckled was dry. "Those aren't the words I'd use to describe it. It's a convenience. Little yadonashi is nothing more than a tool."

_Am I just a tool?_

"Diabound, you are a part of me," Bakura yawped. "You could never be a tool even if I wanted you to be."

Diabound's look was cautious, but he accepted his master's answer.

"Stop with the sentimental emotions," Bakura snapped.

The Duel Spirit's jaw hardened, the normal look of menace on his face.

Bakura's smirk widened. "Now it's like old times."

_We are getting closer, master._

"Lead on."

/…\

"What time is it?" a voice said.

"This seems very familiar…" Ryou stated.

"Shit." Malik hissed. "We're in a time loop."

Ryou turned his head sharply, his white eyebrows knit in concern. "We are?"

"It's the coin. The Time Wizard manipulates which side shows." Malik shook his head. "I can't believe we actually fell for this."

"How do we stop it from looping again?"

The Egyptian grimaced. "I don't know. Catch the coin I guess."

"No one knows?" The voice said. "Well, I'll have to check for myself."

The Time Wizard jumped off the wall and strolled casually in front of Ryou. "You seem like a distinguished young fellow," he said. "Could you please tell me what time it is?"

"How about we play a game?" Malik suggested slowly.

A light twinkled in the Time Wizard's eye as he turned he attention to Malik. "What kind of a game?"

"A fifty-fifty." Malik smiled slowly. "Do you have a coin?"

"I do." He pulled out the cartoon-sized coin.

"May I see it?"

The hands on the Duel Spirit's face spun in opposite directions, a motion of uncertainty, before handing over the coin.

"Heads you tell us the time." As Malik spoke, his and Ryou's faced engraved on the smooth surface. He flipped the coin. "Tails, and we will continue to play your game." The face of the Time Wizard appeared on the coin.

If he could smile, the Time Wizard was doing so. "So you have finally caught on. You two are a special pair of mortals."

"We aren't ordinary mortals." Malik smiled smugly and threw the coin in the air. Again, the slow motion affected the coin, Malik catching it with ease. His eyes widened incredulously as the face of the Time Wizard greeted him.

"This is bullshit!" He proclaimed. He flipped the coin and the Time Wizard's face was on the other side as well. He glared hard at the Time Wizard. "You rigged it."

The Time Wizard's hands spun around his face. "Rules are rules." He held up his staff and the hands spun at lightning speed.

"Don't you even fucking dare—"

"Rewind!"

/…\

"This is too good," Azazel could barely contain his enjoyment. He bit his nails and his legs were curled up as he hovered above Murzix's head as they watched the events before them from the bubbling cauldron.

"Please contain yourself, Azazel," Murzix seethed.

"Oh, but my dear Murzix," Azazel flipped so he was looking at the magician upside down, his face inches away, "you are such a genius with how you set up everything. I feel so honored to be in your presence. I could just kiss you."

"By Set's name if you do not back away from me I will mar you so torture will look like tickling." Murzix's stare was dangerous and threatening, but Azazel didn't flinch.

"So testy," Azazel quipped, but obeyed, relaxing to a reclining position. "May I add something?"

Murzix returned his gaze to the cauldron, Malik and Ryou once more struggling to figure out the Time Wizard's game and Bakura wandering aimlessly with a guide who may or may not be going the right way.

"What do you want to add?"

"More like return."

"Become bored, have we?"

Azazel pooh-poohed the accusation. "Quite the opposite. This is already good, but I wanted to make it even better."

Murzix stepped back from the cauldron and stretched out his inhumanly long fingers. "Proceed."

The shadow grinned widely and sank to the ground, his feet greeted by shadows that gladly lapped up their master. Murzix's disgust made Azazel's smile even bigger, verging on uncannily possible. He gently put his hand in his pants pocket and pulled out a dark, wriggling mass.

"That magic is almost as dark as your own," Murzix observed.

"Not really," Azazel plunged his other hand inside his own chest and pulled out an inky black figure that seemed to be a solid and liquid at once. Black smoke evaporated off it like dry ice and dark muck dripped off in thick globules, like goo. The black was even darker than space itself.

"I take that back," Murzix premised, his face twisted with repugnance. "Please put that back before I end up sick."

Azazel smirked and gently nudged the mass into his chest. He shuddered and his eyes fluttered when it phased through and he released a small moan.

The magician was too refrained to roll his eyes, but he did growl at his companion.

Azazel just smiled and dropped the squirming black mass and deck of Duel Monsters cards into the bubbling broth.

/…\

"What time is it?" The Time Wizard asked.

Ryou used every ounce of his willpower not to scream. "What the bloody hell are we going to do?" He crowed to Malik.

"I don't know," Malik's lack of patience was wearing very thin. "_Khara!_"

"What?"

"Shit!"

Ryou sighed and dropped roughly to the floor, a pen and some tissues flying out of his pocket. "Oh, bollocks." He picked up the objects and shoved them back into his pocket.

"No one knows?" The Time Wizard said. "Well, I'll have to check for myself."

A glimmer of light caught Malik's eye and he turned his head to a circular, bronze object lying by Ryou's feet.

"Ryou," he said slowly, "what is that?"

"This?" He picked up the object. "It's my grandfather's pocket watch. I always keep it with—" He stopped abruptly and the two teens looked slowly at each other.

"Do you think?"

"It's worth a try."

"You seem like a distinguished young fellow," the Time Wizard approached Ryou. "Could you please tell me what time it is?"

Ryou turned his head to Malik, lifting his eyebrow at the Egyptian. Malik nodded.

"I believe it is 2:37 A.M., sir." Ryou tried his best to keep his voice from quivering.

The hands on the Time Wizard's face whirled around. "We have a winner!"

The teens breathed a sigh of relief and smiled tiredly.

"Yes, that is the time, or the time you were sent here. Actually you have been here for about three and a half months."

"_What?_" Malik objected.

"Shadow Time," the Time Wizard lifted his finger. "You should let me finish. You spent about two weeks here in the Time Lock."

Ryou's stomach interrupted the Time Wizard and grumbled loudly. He clenched it in pain. _Three and a half months with no food. _It's amazing he wasn't dead. Something must be keeping him alive. He couldn't ponder on in anymore when his stomach growled again, this time with more ferocity.

"Right," the Time Wizard said, reaching behind his cape. "I knew I was saving this for someone." He pulled out a bunch of bananas, two papayas, and a loaf of bread. "These floated in one day. I thought of saving them for someone special. That must be you."

Ryou graciously took the food, bowed slightly in thanks, and tore into the bread like a wild animal. He offered an orange to Malik without taking his eyes off the banana he was peeling. Malik shook his head, but realized that Ryou wasn't paying attention, answered with a polite, "No, thank you. I'm a soul, not a body. I don't need to eat."

In record time the Brit finished and shook the surprised Time Wizard's hand. "Thank you so _very_ much."

The Time Wizard nodded at him. "You are welcome."

"Wait," remembered Malik. "How long have we been gone from the real world?"

"The real world," the Time Wizard muttered to himself. "That's an interesting way to put it." He answered Malik, "Earth-time, you've been gone for two days, not including the night of the duel." He reached behind his cape again and procured a deck of cards. "I believe these belong to you."

"My deck!" Ryou courteously took them. "Thank you so much!"

The Time Wizard gave the impression of smiling. "You have passed." He stepped aside and a wormhole swirled where he stood. "Good luck, young Shadow Masters. You will need it."

Malik nodded to Ryou and the Brit jumped into the twirling shadows.

/…\

"If I had known any better, it seems you are leading me in circles," Bakura keened.

_No, master, _Diabound said, _I would never do that to you._

"We have walked this area before," Bakura stated. "I recognize these shadows."

_How can you recognize shadows? _Diabound tilted his head.

"You question me?" Bakura's tone was clipped, edging to irritation.

_N-no, master._

"Who ordered you?"

Diabound kept his back to Bakura and remained silent.

"Diabound, what are you not telling me?"

_I'm sorry, master. _Diabound said quietly. In a bustle of shadows and darkness, the Duel Spirit disappeared.

"_Dammit!_" Bakura growled. He looked where his Ka stood, a mass of black squirming and flailing in mid-air replacing Diabound. The mass dripped black and bubbled and squirmed. Bakura watched it with mild interest.

"What is this?" he asked, unconsciously reaching out to it. The little black mass darted from his touch, but slowly inched closer. It twisted about almost curiously. Bakura opened his palm and the little black form settled in his hand, melting into his skin. Instantly the wind picked up and shadows swirled around the spirit, fluttering away one by one. Bakura glowed with a dark power, his aura a physical manifestation of black and purple specters weaving its way around him. Bakura smiled darkly and flicked his hand, a portal opening at him will.

He stepped into the dark and almost tripped over two figures.

"_Ow!"_

"What the—"

The three males gasped sharply when they realized who each other was.

A long and awkward silence passed over and did not lift for a long time.

* * *

This chapter turned out much different then what I wanted it to be. The first part came and I just ran with it and I REALLY like what came out of it. It gave me a chance to play with Bakura and Zorc's relationship. I believe that by Memory World Zorc has over taken Akefia completely over but during the whole series there is a power struggle going on between the two of them. Thief King's revenge and anger is even great for Zorc to handle. I mean, he freaking _WATCHED_ his town being massacred. He really had a bigger vendetta against the pharaoh than Zorc. That one bit during Memory World when Thief King suddenly says something like, "Help me!" I think is Akefia realizing he just wants to kill the pharaoh and not, you know, destroy the world.

Okay I'm done ranting.

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	8. The Lion and the Mouse

Sorry y'all for taking forever to post. School has kept me busy and I lost motivation to write. It's coming back bit by bit. Thanks for being patient.

I lost my plot notebook. So I'm basically making up everything again. I'm going to try to go off my ideas that I remember. I have two big ones that I remember—the reason why Murzix and Azazel were introduced in the first place—but besides that… *shrug* Bear with me please.

I have a poll going on about whether you guys like the two OCs! Go check it out!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Murzix and Azazel, however, are my sister's and mine.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

** The Lion and the Mouse**

"Where would you like this maze?"

Murzix and Azazel left the castle far behind and wandered in a much lighter part of the Shadow Realm, blue and grey shadows slinking on the ground and hanging in the dead air like moss on trees. Azazel's form shifted with this change of shadow density; his tie was the only part of his attire that remained pitch black. His shirt and pants lightened to match the shadows drifting around him and his grey skin picked up a blue-ish tint.

"Somewhere in this vicinity." The shadow waved his hand generally.

"Why here? Knowing you, you would like it somewhere a bit… darker."

Azazel grinned. "How true that is. Clearly you don't know mortals. They are not particularly fond of wandering in places where they cannot see. Here is just fine."

Murzix raked his eyes across the area, mentally building his creation. "The spell will take three days." He said factually.

A chuckle rumbled in the back of Azazel's throat. "Splendid. That gives me more time to play with our guests." He clapped his hands excitedly and the shadows around stirred and sparked with life. His tie swayed lethargically, the end flicking around like a cat watching its prey.

The magician glanced at his colleague and blew air out of his nose before muttering something under his breath. Wioqu suddenly popped out of nowhere and chittered urgently at his master. Murzix, whose hands were calmly placed at his sides, frowned hard and his hands lit up in a quick burst of flame before turning swiftly toward Azazel.

"According to Wioqu, an 'old friend' would like an audience with us." He said threw his teeth.

Azazel blinked lazily and clenched his jaw. "I swear to Ra if he so much as looks at them, I will send him so far down into the Duat it will take him a millennia to get back here."

"Wouldn't we all like to see that happen," Murzix muttered. "Wioqu, what is his form?"

The green orb fluttered about and chattered something that made Murzix sigh in relief.

"He's in his human-esque form, so we do not have to fret him going prima donna on us for looking like humans. I was not about to change." He narrowed his eyes. "Not for him."

"I don't know," Azazel replied, "I quite like my beast form... as well as some others." He grinned and a ripple of shadows ran over his body, changing his form as they quickly passed over him. His pants became shorts and the long sleeve, button-down shirt reduced itself to short sleeves, and the shirt unbuttoned a bit too low, but still tucked into the shorts. Dress shoes became thigh-high, stiletto leather boots and hair, still tied back in a ponytail, grew to the waist. The only thing that remained unchanged was the black tie swaying in a non-existent breeze.

Murzix pinched the bridge of his nose in response to the full-figured female who smiled suggestively at him. "Oh, for Ra's sake!"

"What?" The now female—and many inches shorter—Azazel pouted, inching closer to the magician. "You don't like?"

"Azazel, stop fooling around."

"Azazel?" She said, a grin crossing her face as she closed in on the too-reserved-to-show-nervousness magician. "My name is Aziza."

Murzix crossed his arms just as Aziza reached him. She smirked and snaked her hands around his neck and tilted her head to the side, pressing her full chest and against his. Murzix's eyes narrowed just the smallest bit. She looked at him for another minute then scoffed and backed away.

"You're too tall and skinny anyway," she smirked. "Beanpole. You should eat a sandwich or something."

"You can make the most patient man mad in two minutes of your company," he retorted.

"You're such a spoil sport," Shadows rippled over the girl and Azazel returned to normal. "There are reasons why I am your only friend."

"Really. I had no idea we were friends." Murzix said icily.

Azazel beamed widely. "Neither did I."

/…\

To everyone's surprise, it was Ryou who broke the seemingly unending silence.

The trio of unlikely companions walked soundlessly through the thick and choking, gas-like green fog for about three days Shadow Time. As soon as Bakura literally ran into Malik and Ryou, he frowned and continued to walk forward. The Egyptian and Brit shrugged at each other and, each knowing they were going to regret it, got up and followed the spirit, Ryou right behind him and Malik as the caboose of their awkward train. Bakura didn't try to shake them either; he needed Ryou when he got out and Malik was the only who could truly get rid of the pest that called himself a yami. He could deal with the silence; thinking was always best when there was no noise. However, the waves of hate and anger that pulsed off Malik and crashed into Bakura constantly was way beyond infuriating. Still, he did not say anything. He already gave his opinions and thoughts a while ago and didn't feel the need to address anything. He left nothing unsaid and made his point and had no interest in what this… boy, this human, this simple _mortal,_ had to say.

And unexpectedly, like a sudden gunshot, Ryou spoke up.

"Who are you?" he asked quietly.

Bakura stiffened slightly and stopped. After a pause he said gruffly, "I am the Spirit of the Millennium Ring."

"What is your name?"

He closed his eyes and raised his eyebrows in a quick, slightly annoyed fashion. "Bakura."

"No it's not," Ryou continued to press calmly. "That is the name you gave yourself. What is your real name?"

"Why does it concern you?" Bakura countered.

"Because I have a right to know the name of the person who uses my body to do his bidding." Ryou answered, the same eerie calm in his voice.

The Spirit was soundless for a long time. Slowly, he turned to face his host and was almost surprised by how still Ryou was. The usual fear in his eyes was absent, replaced with an almost vacant look; he was guarded and composed, no sign of emotion on his normally expressive face. He waited patiently for Bakura to answer.

"Do you realize how insignificant you are to me?" he replied. "I don't talk to you because you are a _tool._"

Ryou's placid façade cracked into the smallest expression of pain before he sealed up the fissure and returned to his calm demeanor. "Yes, but this tool is aware of his user." He took a step closer to Bakura and lowered his eyebrows the tiniest bit. "What is your name?"

"What brought on this confrontation?" Bakura's eyes flickered to Malik who was watching with eyes wide and mouth agape; he was beyond astonished with Ryou. "Did you have anything to do with this sudden change of perspective?"

Malik shook his head urgently. "I said nothing. This is Ryou's own doing."

"Yadonashi," Bakura smirked broadly, "it looks like you finally grew a spine. I am almost impressed."

Ryou took a breath, still keeping eye contact with his darker half. "I am still very much afraid of you. There is no point of hiding it since you'll find out," he lowered his eyes, "sooner or later." He returned his gaze to the ever-patient spirit. "I have been trying to figure out who you are since the Ring started to cause problems for me seven years ago. I have asked you twice before and you just gave me vague answers. Yes, you are the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. You call yourself Bakura, but that is _not _your name. It's mine. Tell me your name." Bakura's eyes flashed and Ryou added a hasty, "Please."

The spirit clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes at his host. "In this form, my name is Bakura."

"What was your name five thousand years ago?"

"That is my business." Bakura glowered, a shadow passing over his face. "Don't you dare test me, boy."

The calm front Ryou was so careful to maintain finally shattered and fright bled into his eyes. Maybe he was wrong to confront the spirit. Since the day he and Malik were in the Hall of Mirrors, he decided to face his darker half and ask all the questions that were floating around in his mind for many years. When he finally mustered enough courage to ask the most prominent question, he was shot down.

Bakura cocked his head to the side, his expression fading to mild amusement. "Fine. I'll humor you since you were able to keep that up for the length you did. I was once known as Thief King."

Ryou mouthed the name and scrunched his eyebrows. "You stole things?"

"Have you not noticed the various items that seem to appear around the apartment?" Bakura rolled his eyes. "Ra, you are dense."

"It's kinda hard to notice things when you're trapped in the darkness a majority of the time." Malik piped up, giving the spirit a look of disdain.

"Oh, so you're his body guard?" Bakura mocked. "How cute."

"He's not my body guard," Ryou snapped, then recoiled a little when Bakura looked at him. "We stuck with each other because we're the only sane ones here. We're defending each other so we can get out."

"Though, I do know more about the Shadow Realm," Malik said factually.

"Not helping, Malik."

"Sorry."

Ryou's confidence grew as he spoke. "We stuck together because it'd be pointless to go off by ourselves." He watched Bakura and his eyes widened at a sudden realization. "You _knew_ that. You knew we wouldn't leave each other, which is the reason you let me go. If Malik wasn't here, you would've—"

"Dragged you around on a leash, yes." Bakura lifted an eyebrow. "Very perceptive. You're not as useless as I thought."

"You never thought I was useless. If I was, you would've killed me years ago." Ryou gasped out loud at his discovery and stumbled backwards, running into Malik who grabbed his shoulders.

"I couldn't kill you if I wanted to," Bakura said darkly.

"Why?" Malik asked. "You didn't seem that kind when we briefly formed an alliance and killed those other people. You don't even touch victims when you kill them. What makes Ryou different?"

Bakura closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "I have given you both more information than I care to share with anyone."

A silent tear ran down Ryou's cheek. "I have a right to know." He said quietly.

"Besides the fact," Bakura chided, "that you are the only compatible host I have ever had?"

"Compatible?" Ryou gasped, horrorstruck. "What am I, software?"

Bakura glared at Malik. "_He _knows what I'm talking about."

The Brit sharply turned his head at Malik. "What? What does he mean?"

Malik's eyes hardened. "You're the same as the pharaoh."

"We are not the same," he growled. "The situation is."

"You killed the ones you didn't need."

"I didn't kill them, they did it to themselves. You already mentioned that I don't touch my victims. Not unless they're a special case."

Malik released Ryou and charged into Bakura's face. "You know what? You're as immoral as Marik."

"Don't you _dare _compare me to that disgrace." He threatened.

The Egyptian scowled at him. "I can compare you to him any day," he hissed. "I know him better than anyone and you are just like him. And I know enough about you to compare Marik to you. You may not enjoy the mess of murder, but you still find satisfaction in it. You are sick. You are undeserving of Ryou. He doesn't deserve this fate."

"Malik," Bakura contested, "get out of my face if you revere your life."

It took a minute, but after a hard glare, Malik backed off. "I don't know exactly who you are, but I know what you are." He crossed back to Ryou who had slumped to the ground in complete and utter shock, uncontrollable tears spilling out of his eyes. "Ryou."

The Brit raised his head at the sound of his name, but kept his eyes to the ground. "Y-yes?"

"In these months that we've been trapped here, we've grown to know each other quite well." He squatted down to Ryou's level. "As your friend, I cannot tell you why you are different to Bakura. That is something you will learn in time if fate allows it."

Ryou's face suddenly deadpanned and the tears abruptly stopped. His eyes snapped up at Malik's face and Malik almost fell out of shock. A new expression, one Malik didn't know Ryou was capable of, suddenly surfaced. His eyes hardened and the look of complete detestation and wrath bored into Bakura.

"How could you…" he said gravelly. "How could you do that to someone for so long?" The fog began to swirl around Ryou. Malik backed up quickly.

"I am notsome wind up toy that gets put on the shelf once you're done playing with it." Ryou's voice found a deeper tone to it, his voice echoing slightly with every word. "I am not a landlord or a host that you can just leech life off. I am not a tool. You are a pathetic, filthy parasite who just so happens to look just like me. And I _hate _you." An explosion of shadows erupted from Ryou's feet and wrapped themselves around Malik and Bakura, lifting them high into the air. Ryou's body pulsed off a dark aura; his eyes opened as wide as humanly possible, and his irises black as night. Shadows wrapped themselves around his frail frame and slipped into mouth. Just as it started, it quickly stopped. The shadows around Bakura and Malik dropped them and slipped away. The remaining shadows disappeared and Ryou collapsed on the ground.

There was a brief moment before Malik asked tentatively, "What was that?"

Bakura sighed tiredly. "That was Ryou's Shadow Magic being released. I've been repressing it for years and it just… exploded in his anger. I never realized how powerful his magic is." He bit the inside of his cheek.

Malik looked slowly at Bakura. "Did you actually just admit that?" He asked, half incredulous.

"If you repeat that to anyone," Bakura growled ominously, "I will send you back here."

Malik glared at Bakura for good measure then looked back at the fainted British teen. He sighed and looked at Bakura. "This will be one of the last times I will ask you for assistance." He stipulated. "Help me get him on my back."

Bakura rolled his eyes and picked up his light and placed him on Malik's back. "We can't do anything much until he wakes, so we walk."

"Why?" the Egyptian asked. "Can't you open a portal to get us out?"

"Ah," Bakura smirked. "You have realized why I went searching for you."

"We were searching for you for the same reason. Ryou's deck," Malik retorted. "I'm not stupid. My magic without an Item isn't strong enough to open a portal. You as well. And now that Ryou's magic is unlocked, we have enough power to open a portal with the Dark Door Spell Card."

"Very perceptive." Bakura gestured to Malik in an almost un-characteristic-like fashion, a leer on his face. "Shall you lead the way?"

"Piss off." The Egyptian curled his lip and passed in front of the spirit. Bakura halfway smiled and followed Malik into the murk.

* * *

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. This went waaaaaaaay different than how I thought. I really like it though! Haha! Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	9. Power Struggles

I said I wanted to finish this before the semester ended. I need to get cracking if I want to complete that goal!

In case you haven't noticed, this story is my main priority fic-wise. Buuuut that doesn't mean I'm not thinking of my other stories. I've been avoiding PJO because I don't want to write a battle scene and the early chapter of AFtR are kinda boring to write because it's a slow start. I'll get to them though.

I still have poll on whether you guys like Murzix and Azazel in my profile! Go check it out!

Six more chapters to go!

Thank you everyone who has reviewed or looked at my story! I really appreciate it. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Power Struggles**

The sound of arguing once again found its way to Ryou's ears. He opened his eyes slowly and groaned softly, a migraine beating at his head. His whole body was sore and he refused to move, knowing that if he tried it would only make his muscles hurt even worse. The thought of not knowing where he was briefly crossed his mind and he was struck with a moment of pure terror, forgetting what happened before it clicked that he was in the Shadow Realm, grey and blue smoke-like fog rising and falling in an untimed dance confirming and jogging his memories. A dark figure swiftly jumped over him, the silhouette of the Celtic Guardian briefly hovering above his head before dashing away. He closing his eyes fleetingly and braced himself before slowly shifting his body to a sitting posing, his muscles and head yelling at him for moving. He winced at the pain, but dared not to cry out as he surveyed this new part of the Shadow Realm.

Out of all the areas he and Malik were in, this once seemed to be the most… friendly, if you could call it that. The fog was transparent instead of opaque and the atmosphere was a bit warmer. Yes, this area was Ryou's favorite by a _long _shot. In the distance, roughly eight yards in front of him, he saw the profiles of Malik and Bakura arguing, both waving their arms in frustration. He couldn't make out their words, but they sounded much crosser than last time. He sighed and clutched his head when the migraine objected to his mild head shaking.

_What happened the other day? _He thought, trying his best not to anger his already upset head by thinking too hard. He checked him internal clock and resisted widening his eyes from shock. _I've been out for five days? What the bloody hell happened?_

The only way to find out was to ask the people he was with. He took a deep breath and slowly stood up, ignoring the sharp pains from his arms and legs. Once standing, he walked at a paced rate towards Malik and Bakura.

_I feel like a sloth, _he thought, almost smiling. He looked down briefly, making sure his footing was stable, and halted. How did he not notice before? A dark purple aura pulsed and bended around his body; how did that get there? He glanced at his hand, the aura moving and bending however he positioned his hand and fingers. As this happened, he realized he was suddenly hyper-aware of the Shadow Realm. He could feel it move, how the shadows bended and twisted, where certain monsters hid, where certain portals were. He couldn't feel the shadows as a whole, but he could feel the immense hidden power that they held. Where had this sudden realization and illumination come from? His sore body tensed and rippled almost like the shadows slinking at his feet. His head pulsed with the movement of the Shadow Realm. What was going on?

Ignoring the protestations of his aching muscles and the sudden intensity of his angry migraine, he sprinted.

/…\

In the five days that Malik and Bakura were forced together, they spent four of those days bickering about almost everything. The first day they travelled in complete silence. Ryou's soft snoring was the only sound other than the general wind and sometimes Shadow Breathers or Duel Spirits. The silence was good. All Malik had to do was follow Bakura.

The middle of day two was when the arguing started. Malik grew tired of following Bakura who claimed he was leading them to a portal in Egypt. How the hell could he trust a lying, cheating, five-thousand-year-old thief? So Malik opted to take lead and go to a portal he new quite well: the Bermuda Triangle. Bakura thought that to be a stupid idea and fighting escalated from there. They argued from who knew the Shadow Realm better, to who was the better duelist, to who has done worse deeds (that one didn't make Malik feel too good about himself and after two hours of arguing over that he shut up). They even quarreled over mundane things like how to pronounce "pecan" in English, to Coke vs. Pepsi, to the economy. Many times the fighting moved from language to language, the most common ones being Japanese, English, Arabic, and Ancient Egyptian. They argued so much it was stupid, but without Ryou as neutral territory, they couldn't help it. The intense hatred they felt for each other just couldn't be kept silent. Malik even admitted that sometimes they just seemed to argue over the sake of arguing, but it didn't help that they baited each other and neither could help but take the bait. However, no matter how much they argued, they never split up, a silent consensus that the best thing to do was to stick together, no matter how painful it was.

On the fourth day, a wormhole triggered under their feet and they slid to a seemingly nicer part of the Shadow Realm. Malik refused to let Bakura carry Ryou—not that Bakura would want to—and with a four-day-old sore back, gently placed Ryou on the ground and stretched. He stared at the Brit and cocked his head, noticing a dark but thin aura radiating around him. Malik lifted his hand and observed his own aura, the color similar to Ryou's, if not a few shades darker. He moved his eyes to Bakura's back, the aura swirling around him very thick and almost black. Shadow Auras weren't something that Shadow Users talked about that much, just observed. They were only visible when the User allowed it to be—or if you were in the Shadow Realm—and really were just a way to flex the muscles. Yugi had one, but it was quite pale compared to Ryou's, however they were the same size. The pharaoh's had a red tint mixed with the purple—almost like his eyes—and was about the same size as Bakura's, maybe even bigger. Ishizu's was bluer, Odion's a deep purple, and Marik's… Malik didn't want to think about his darker half. Even Kaiba had a blue aura whether he wanted to notice it or not.

Malik sighed deeply and sat next to Ryou, looking at his sleeping friend.

"I am so sorry, Ryou," he said quietly.

He got up and walked away, lost in his thoughts of returning home when a sudden idea came to him.

"Bakura," he said gruffly.

"Yes?" Bakura drawled, a bored look on his face.

"I have something I need to take care of," he said, keeping his face guarded.

"And why should I care?"

Malik snorted and rolled his eyes. "Just… never mind." He walked back toward Ryou and sat crossed-legged next to him. "Don't touch either of us."

Bakura gave him an I-would-not-dream-of-it-you-idiot look and turned his back again. Malik grumbled a few choice swear words before concentrating his thoughts.

/…\

Three days had come and gone before his beloved trio had even started journeying to their destination. Azazel entertained himself by observing Malik, Ryou, and Bakura arguing from the safety of Murzix's castle, which the magician was back to concocting things in his cauldron, Wioqu flying about and getting him ingredients in between cleaning the castle. Azazel was beyond relieved that their "audience" with Zorc was over. He sighed and his tie lazily swerved so the end almost touched his nose.

"I know, Yamanu, I know," he said, pushing his tie aside.

When Murzix said that an "old friend" wanted to have an audience with them, his stomach almost dropped. Zorc was always out to ruin his plans because they weren't "relevant" or didn't help in "the grand scheme of things." Hell, Zorc didn't even rule over them, yet he continuously attempted to command the two of them to do things. If there was one thing that Azazel and Murzix agreed on, it was that Zorc was a huge prick.

"Shall we get this over with so we can return to our prior engagement?" Murzix said tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Azazel didn't speak, but opened a portal. He gave Murzix a stern look. Murzix returned it and snapped his fingers, Wioqu appearing at his side. The little orb quivered in fear, but didn't object coming with his master. Wordlessly, the pair stepped into the portal.

"Really? _Really?_" Azazel hit his forehead and jerked his arms outward in a frustrated motion. "He wanted to meet us _here?_"

"He could never let go of the past," Murzix replied in a slightly miffed tone.

Azazel tried his best to avoid this area of the Shadow Realm. Not because it had the thickest magic and the most monsters, but because Zorc often liked to come here. Azazel wasn't really the nostalgic type anyway. "Oh look, he even erected a statue."

"You are joking."

Azazel shook his head and pointed. Surrounded by a group of forty-some Duel Spirits bowing at its feet, a statue of Zorc double the height of the State of Liberty stood proudly in the center. Azazel, sickened by the Spirits worshipping a false—and stupid—idol, snapped his fingers, all the Spirits disappearing in a whirlwind of shadows.

"I never come here." Murzix murmured. "I often considered giving this place a visit, but never felt motivated enough to actually follow through. Now I know I will never visit."

"Where it all started."

Azazel and Murzix turned around slowly, the figure of Zorc emerging from the shadows. He crossed his arms over his broad chest and walked forward, making sure to flap his wings so they bumped into Azazel and Murzix when he passed. The shadow and magician exchanged looks before reluctantly following.

"Shame it pales to the real thing," Zorc stopped in front of the statue and cocked his head admiringly. "I'm actually fifty feet taller."

"We know." Murzix and Azazel chimed. The shadow smiled mischievously at his blue-haired comrade and lifted his feet off the ground, sitting cross-legged and propping his elbows on his knees and resting his face in the palms of his hands before asking Zorc, "What do you want?"

"To reminisce," Zorc imparted uncharacteristically. "And I haven't seen you two for a very long time. How long has it been?"

"Four hundred and sixty-eight years," Murzix was monotone. "Hardly a 'very long time.'"

The demon shrugged and stretched his wings. "Do you remember what happened here?"

"How can we not?" Azazel said, rolling his eyes. "You remind us every time you want to talk to us."

"I remind you because _you seem to forget." _Zorc growled darkly. "Do you not realize how important the Shadow Realm is? Is it just another toy of yours, Azazel?"

"If it was just another _toy,_" Azazel spat, "I would relocate to a different part of the Duat."

There was a tense silence before Zorc spoke again. "I bring you here as a reminder of the greatness we accomplished."

"Is that a 'thank you' I hear?" Azazel quipped. "Are you actually admitting that you couldn't have done this by yourself?"

Zorc's temple pulsed and he clenched his jaw. "I never said that. And neither of you could have done it alone."

A red glint flashed across the shadow's eyes, but he didn't say anything.

Murzix, the only rational one, sighed. "While that may hold a grain of truth, the enormous ego we each possess prevents us from admitting that there was a collaboration to create the Shadow Realm."

Azazel stubbornly floated two feet higher so he could look down upon his comrades and Zorc snorted, smoke billowing out of his nose.

"Zorc," Murzix continued, "could you control the monster and demon count? Zombies keep getting into my castle. The like to consume my potions. And your damned Duel Spirits are like vermin."

The demon's eyes flashed. "_Vermin? _My demons are _not _vermin! How dare you—"

"Oh, and could you tell them to leave my Shadow Breathers alone?" Azazel called down. "The carnivorous ones like to eat my poor babies."

"You are the one who keeps poisoning them?" Zorc raged.

"It's their fault if they eat corrupted shadows," Azazel jibed with a grin.

"Azazel, all of your shadows are corrupted." Murzix said tiredly.

"Oops."

/…\

Malik stayed dormant in Anzu's mind, seeing through her eyes as she watched Jou and Kaiba duel for third place. It was even more uncomfortable being in her body this time because she was active and awake. He sighed mentally. If only there was an easier way to get his body back.

Anzu turned toward the airship just as Ishizu walked down the stairs. Malik took full control over Anzu's body and walked calmly over toward his sister.

"Anzu?" she said as Anzu-Malik approached. "Are you alright?"

"Sister." he said.

"Malik!" Ishizu said, a small amount joy slipping into her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't have much time," he said. "How long has it been since I last talked to you?"

"Three days."

Malik's eyes widened. "_Three days_? I've been in the Shadow Realm for almost four months!"

"Oh Malik," Ishizu tightly embraced her brother. "You're darker side is getting stronger."

A shadow passed over his face. "I know. That's why I'm here. I'm going to reclaim my body. Ryou and I have joined with Bakura and we figured a way out, but Ryou's unconscious. It's a long story." He added to his sister's confused look. "In these months, I figured that if I can get access to the Rod, I can move my soul back into my body."

"Malik! That is a reckless plan. How are you going to get the Rod away from him anyway?" Ishizu asked, shocked by his brash statement.

Malik only smiled and closed his eyes, concentrating to find his darker half. He sensed him on top of the tower. Malik opened his eyes. "It's time for me to get my body back." He gave a stern nod to his sister and ran toward the tower.

"Malik! Wait!" He heard his sister calling but ignored her. He had a more pressing matter at hand.

/…\

There was a part of Bakura that wanted to kick Malik, but he resisted and instead focused his attention to his host. _Don't touch either of us. _He snorted as he recalled Malik's words. He wouldn't touch them. Physically. Slowly, Bakura crouched next to his host. He smirked, closed his eyes, and focused on Ryou's thoughts. If he could get a connection, he just may be able to control him again. He hovered his hand above Ryou's forehead, scrunching his brow. His hand began to burn and he opened his eyes. The spirit glared hard at Ryou, trying as he might to overcome the boy.

"This is much harder without the Millennium Ring," he muttered angrily. Ignoring his previous statement about how he wouldn't touch either of them, he placed his index and middle fingers on the center of Ryou's forehead. Instantly, the Brit's eyes snapped open and he sat up in the blink of an eye. Bakura was thrown off balance by the sudden movement, crashing to the floor. Ryou didn't speak, but stared blankly off into the distance. His eyes were hollow and clouded.

"Yadonashi!" Bakura barked.

Ryou remained motionless, his eyes still dormant. It was like he couldn't hear.

"Yadonashi?" Bakura said cautiously, moving forward back to his crouching position. "What are you doing?"

He stayed as he was.

Bakura surveyed his host for a moment. "Host."

No movement.

"Host!"

Nothing.

Again and again Bakura tried to get his attention, but the Brit wouldn't move. Bakura took a breath and for the first time in eight years said, "Ryou."

Ryou's head jerked to the side and upward in a robotic-like gesticulation. "Why did you do this?" His voice asked like a child, but the deeper tones and higher frequencies in the voice revealing his state.

"Do what?" Bakura asked back, dodging the obvious question.

"Why do you hurt this poor boy?" Ryou's voice asked, not allowing Bakura to avoid the question. "He did nothing to deserve this."

Bakura put his hands on his hips. "And whom am I speaking with?"

"The shadows you blocked this poor human boy access." Ryou's voice continued. "We grew so sad from not being used. He was always supposed to have shadows. Even if you never found him, the human boy always has access."

The spirit crossed to Ryou's other side by Malik. Ryou's head joltingly followed him as he walked, his blank eyes never moving, never blinking. "Can all shadows talk?"

"Sometimes. If we have access." Ryou's voice said. "Shadows are not meant to be repressed. We were trapped in the dark, even a dark that made shadows afraid. This dark meant a box, and shadows do not do much in a box. We sit. Sometimes we die."

"You were trapped in Ryou's soul room?"

"Yes. Shadows do not always come from the soul room, but it is the personality link. We link with people. Those who are Shadow Users have shadows in their soul rooms. That little human boy that is connected with the pharaoh has some shadows."

"Where is Ryou now?" Bakura inquired, not letting his fascination of this new information break his callous inquiries.

"Resting." Ryou's voice said simply. "The eruption of us left the human boy in shock and tired his mental spirit and physical body. His soul room will no longer be as dark because we are free."

Bakura let this new information sink in. Just as he opened his mouth, Ryou's voice interrupted.

"Why do you hurt this poor boy?" his voice asked again.

"Because he is not obedient," the spirit answered. "Disobedience needs to be punished."

"In punishing him," Ryou's voice continued. "Are you not punishing yourself?"

Bakura became very quiet. "How do you know this?"

Ryou's head cocked to the side. "We have been around for a very long time, Thief King Akefia. We observe a great deal of events. Shadows are very good at keeping secrets. We tell no one things no one should know, like how you and this human boy are connected, a connection that is much deeper than you want to believe."

Silence fell for a long while.

"Why did you not respond when I called before?" Bakura lifted a white eyebrow.

Ryou's face grinned slowly. "Because you did not say the boy's name." And his eyes fluttered as the shadows retreated, Ryou once more still.

/…\

Malik took a moment to rest in the arch of the opening. Anzu thankfully was in great shape, but running up ten flights of stairs was still tiring. Marik's back was turned; Malik noticed his dark side was monologuing and chuckling to himself and rolled his eyes. He took a moment to compose himself, to swallow his fear, stepped into the sunlight and stopped about ten feet away from his yami who was shouting at the Millennium Rod.

"Why won't you work?" He shook the Item angrily and yelled at it in Ancient Egyptian and Arabic. "Show me what you showed the pharaoh and Kaiba!"

Malik raised an eyebrow. The Millennium Rod was acting up around the pharaoh and Kaiba? Before he could think about it any more, the sound of metal scraping concert and thud on the toe of his shoe distracted him. He looked down, and lo and behold, the Millennium Rod was _literally _at his feet. That was easy.

"You should be more careful with this," Malik said, bending down to pick up his Rod. Oh, how he missed it. A small sense of relief washed over him as he wrapped his hand around its handle, remembering how balanced it felt in his hand. He cleared his thoughts, knowing if he went any further they'd get darker; he needn't be reminded of the horrible things he did when the climax of them was standing in front of him.

"Pardon me?" His dark turned and glared, fear replacing that little but of relief. Right. He was in Anzu's body. Marik didn't know that.

"Hand over that Item," Marik demanded darkly. "You are meddling with forces beyond your comprehension." He sauntered forward and Malik quickly activated the Rod, throwing Marik back.

"What?" A confused almost child-like look crossed Marik's face as he got up. "How are you doing that? That isn't supposed to happen. I am the only one who can control the Millennium Rod!"

Malik smirked and walked forward, holding the Millennium Rod in front of him. "Guess again." He pushed Marik back and snarled at him. "Hi Marik. Missed me?"

"Malik-dear?" He asked and threw his head back and laughed. "You missed me so much you wanted to come visit? How's the Shadow Realm?"

"Sunny and warm," Malik replied dryly.

"How did you get out?" He asked cocking his head to the side. "Wait…" An inane smile stretched across his lips. "You left a piece of yourself inside her. How pathetic."

Anzu-Malik narrowed his eyes and walked forward, forcing Marik's back against the guardrail. "I had no other choice. I'm the reason you were born and it's my responsibility to dispose of you."

"You talk like I'm a piece of garbage," Marik pouted.

"You are."

The psychopathic smile returned. "Is that so? How come I'm the one that threw you out? You don't exist. With you thrown out, I have your body. Or should I say _my _body."

Keeping his composure, Malik only sneered at his darker half. "I realized you have _my _body. I'm here it get it back."

"I sorry to say that you are too weak for that," Marik's grin ranged to inhuman. "How long have you even been in the Shadow Realm?"

"Don't you know?"

Marik's grin faltered and he crossed his arms. "I've lost my connection to you. I can't keep tabs."

_Thank Ra! _Malik thought, but said, "About four months."

"Four months too long." Marik cocked his head to the side. "You really have grown weak. And you have a limited amount of magic even with that Rod in your hand. Don't you see, Malik-dear? I am the real you." A shadow passed over his face and the visible veins palpitated. "I _am _the real you. You are nothing but a memory." He lurched forward and grabbed Malik's hand, forcing Malik to drop the Rod and move. Marik caught the Rod in mid-air and turned, forcing one of the sharp edges of the Rod onto Malik's throat.

"I never liked this girl," he said in all seriousness. "I wonder what color red her blood is." He pressed the Rod slightly into Anzu-Malik's jugular before loosening and pointing the Rod at Malik's face. "First things first. Time to banish the rest of you into the Shadow Realm. It was nice knowing you, Malik-dear. Really. Thank you so much for helping me accomplish my goals." His genuine smile looked wrong on his face; it was even scarier than his normal grins.

Malik glanced around, looking for an escape route. Shit. Why did he have to go and get himself cornered? This was not part of the plan. He could feel the shadows starting to pull himself back into the Shadow Realm as well, his two hours running out.

"No where to go?" Marik chided.

"You won't get away with this," Malik said as his darker half pressed forward and forced Malik's back against the guardrail.

"You are in no place to make threats." Marik jested sinisterly.

In a quick motion just as Marik slashed the Rod, Malik braced the guardrail and jumped up, hand-standing on the rail. He crossed one hand over and other, braced the rail again, and pushed off over Marik's head, landing on his feet despite the clumsy shoes. A part of Malik was amazed by his sudden flexibility and gymnastics skills while the other part was relieved that he didn't die or was banished to the Shadow Realm… again.

"You're just prolonging the inevitable." Marik snarled. The Eye on the Rod lit up and Malik was thrown backwards. "Looks like the tables have been turned."

"J-just shut up," Malik said awkwardly.

"Scared?" Marik swiftly strolled over to his light and loomed over him. "Looks like you can't fight without Odion acting as your body guard."

Uncontrollable tears filled Anzu-Malik's eyes.

_Damn these female hormones! _He thought angrily.

"It's time to end our game." Marik drawled. He leisurely lifted the Rod and pointed it at Malik's head. "Goodbye, Malik." The Eye began to glow and Malik closed his eyes.

"Stop this!" A voice behind Malik demanded.

Malik opened his eyes and turned. "Ishizu!"

"Wha?" Marik stopped smiling. "Stay out of this, Ishizu." He growled. "This doesn't concern you."

Ishizu ignored his words, but never broke her stern gaze as she advanced toward him.

"The again," the dark divulged, his lips upturning in a smirk, "I could just banish you both."

Ishizu stopped in her tracks and glared at him. "Be gone. You are not my brother."

"I wasn't saying that I was."

"Sister," Malik said regretfully and squeezed his eyes shut. "My plan has failed. I am weak. My time here is almost up." He felt the shadows pulling at him. "I-I can't do it. I'm sorry. Please Ishizu! I'll find another way, I'll try. You just—"

Malik opened his eyes to blue and grey swirling shadows.

"SHIT!" He screamed, his heart broken with grief as he pounded the floor with his fist. "I almost had him! I almost had him! I almost—" His voice cracked and he crumpled to the floor, sobbing.

/…\

Azazel and Zorc continued to argue for the next hour until Murzix finally lost all his patience and flashed lightening on the statue of Zorc, causing one of the horns to fall off. Zorc turned his rage to Murzix but with one look from Murzix's steely gaze he clamped his mouth shut.

"Now then," Murzix said reasonably. "Why did you call us?"

"I want to know how you two have been," Zorc stated, his red eyes darting to the side.

"Bull," Azazel called. "That is unlike you. You've been acting off-kilter since we got here."

"My mind is on other matters." The demon said distractedly.

"They why bother having us meet?"

Zorc put his hands behind his back and walked toward the statue. Without turning to face them, he asked, "What have you two been doing?"

"Same old, same old. Slinking in the shadows. Luring humans in. Finding playthings." Azazel grinned his Cheshire cat smile. "Nothing new."

"Murzix?"

The magician twitched his mouth. "I make spells in my castle." He said simply.

"I have a hard time believing that." He turned his head so he could see them out of the corner of his eye. "I have a source that tells me you two have been collaborating."

"If you think we're trying to get rid of you, for the twentieth time _no_, we are not." Azazel professed.

"That's not what I'm talking about."

Azazel stiffened and his eyes blazed. Slowly, he levitated down and placed his feet on the ground. "What are you talking about?" He asked, his tone dangerous. Murzix placed his hand on Azazel's shoulder and gave him a warning look. Azazel shrugged it off and marched at Zorc.

"You've been watching my host body and those two other mortals." He rumbled.

"We are allowed to observe new comers." Azazel stated.

"Yes, you are." Zorc eyed the shadow. "But those three, you are not allowed to touch. I saw the trick you pulled with Diabound, Azazel. I don't know how he answered to you, but I will have no more of that. You are _not allowed to touch them._"

"And why is that?" Azazel pressed, knowing he was testing Zorc's very limited patience.

"Because those three are mine."

Zorc stepped backwards and fell through a portal, making sure Murzix and Azazel each were under his red gaze before he disappeared.

Like any other time Zorc asked him to do or not do anything, Azazel blatantly ignored his wishes and went further with the plan Murzix and he concocted. The magician followed Azazel's lead—or Azazel followed Murzix's lead—and made his maze, taking his time to perfect every detail.

"It's finished," he called over to Azazel on the third day.

Azazel looked up from the _Cosmo _magazine he obtained from a young American woman and grinned. "Brilliant! Lemme see!" He poked his head into the maze for a moment before turning to Murzix. "You're a genius."

Murzix couldn't help his small, pompous grin. "I am aware."

Excitedly, Azazel rubbed his hands together. "Once our guests have sorted through their problems, we can collect them."

"Not now?"

Azazel shook his head. "Not when the British boy is on the edge of unlocking his shadow magic." He tapped his head. "They've told me." He snapped his fingers and a portal ripped open. "Shall we wait at your house?"

"Castle," Murzix corrected. "I guess."

The portal closed as they stepped through, the trap finally set.

/…\

"You have no idea what I could do to you," Bakura growled.

"Minds games?" Malik sneered. "I can play those. You want to know how many people I've manipulated to kill themselves too? Try me."

Ryou once more sighed when he stopped next to Malik and Bakura. He scrunched his eyebrows in a tired manner at the same old fight they seemed to have since they first met.

"Really?" He spoke, his voice cracking from not speaking for five days.

"Ryou!" Malik chipped. "You're awake! How are you feeling?"

"To be honest," he said, "like shit. I ache all over and I have a killer migraine. What happened?"

Malik took a moment to speak. "You released your Shadow Magic."

"I… what?" Ryou shook his head. "I have Shadow Magic?"

"Yes." Bakura spoke up, his eyes hard. "You do."

"Wh-why didn't I know this before? Why have I never used it?"

"If you knew, would you use it with me around?" Bakura asked in a calm, but threatening manner.

Ryou's eyes darted away from his dark's gaze. "No."

"They were suppressed," Malik supplied. "You never used them because you couldn't. Bakura locked them up."

The British teen looked at Bakura, his face full of pain and confusion. "Why?"

"We had a conversation like this five days ago," Bakura growled. "I do not want to revisit it."

An awkward silence passed over the three males before a voice piped up.

"Don't we have a nice little group," it said. "You all don't seem to get along though. I believe the saying goes, 'Two's a company, but three's a crowd.'"

"Who are you?" Bakura stepped in front of Ryou and Malik, his eyes zipping around, trying to find the source of the disembodied voice.

"Just a stranger wanting to help." A figured melted out of the shadows directly in front of Bakura. It seemed he was made of the shadows, his skin the same bluish hue as the foggy haze around them and his suit two shades darker. His hollow face was partly covered by long grey bangs, the rest of his hair tied back in a puffy ponytail. His tie, seeming blacker than black itself, floated idly in a nonexistent wind. He blinked his black eyes at the little group, his white irises glinting red.

"Who are you?" Bakura repeated.

The newcomer smiled. "Hello. My name's Azazel and I'm the creator of the Shadow Realm. I'm going to help you get home."

* * *

Oh look a long chapter!

For the record, the first and last paragraph are connected, Murzix and Azazel spend most of their part in flashback and then three days before Ryou releases his Shadow Magic, and Malik and Bakura are going through what happened in the five days Ryou was knocked out.

YAY! TIME IS NOT RELEVANT TO ME OR THE SHADOW REALM. MWAHAHAHAHA. Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	10. Deal With A Devil

Hey guys.

Sorry for the lack of updates. The end of the semester got really busy and I have two jobs this summer, not to mention my cousin is staying over until August. I don't know how often I'll be able to write, but I am going to try to finish this before heading off to school in the fall. *crosses fingers*

Just to clarify if there was any confusion, my headcanon is that there was not one, but three creators of the Shadow Realm. I honestly think something like that is too massive for one Egyptian Shadow Demon to do by himself. So Zorc asked Azazel and Murzix to help him with the project and they each brought their own elements into it; Azazel brought everything to do with shadows, Zorc all of the monsters and demons and creatures, and Murzix everything magic. Murzix actually is the one that gave Shadow Users the ability to animate cards with their Shadow Magic. He is also the reason why the Shadow Realm has a mind of its own; Azazel's shadows are already animated, but on top of Murzix's spells… even they don't know what goes on there. However, all three of them have an enormous ego, so if you meet one of them alone, they will take all of the credit. Hence why Zorc was all, "I am the creator of the Shadow Realm. Fear me!" when he was being stupid and thought he could take over the world.

All right, that's a long enough explanation. I hope that clears things up for you guys if anyone was confused! (Yes I did purposefully hold back on info in previous chapters for reasons.)

Finally hit double digits! WOOHOO! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, however I do take credit for all of the Shadow Realm ideas and my two OCs.

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**Deal With A Devil**

A brief, uncomfortable, and slightly tense silence settled among the small group. Malik noted that uncomfortable silences seemed to be a common theme for him and the white-haired Brit on his right. This one, however, was more out of shock considering.

"Excuse me?" Malik turned; his lavender eyes fixed on the harsh and almost offended look on Bakura's face. "What do you mean by 'the creator of the Shadow Realm'?"

Azazel, as he introduced himself, smirked and walked forward. "Exactly what I said." He held his arms out and spun in a circle. "I made all of this." He snapped and a shadow escaped from his fingers. "Like that."

If Malik had a camera, he would have taken a picture of Bakura's face; his look of deep indignant confusion was virtually priceless. That expression would probably never find it's way to his face ever again.

"Excuse me?" he repeated. "You can't possibly be the creator of the Shadow Realm."

"I can and I am," Azazel replied smugly. "Please indulge me on why I can't be something that I already am."

Bakura shook his head, his brow furrowing even deeper. "Zorc is the creator of the Shadow Realm."

"Who?" Azazel and, surprisingly, Ryou asked unanimously.

The confusion morphed to incredulousness. "You're kidding me. Zorc Necrophades! The Shadow Beast, creator of the Shadow Realm. He…" Bakura paused and crossed his arms, choosing his words carefully. "He… _almost succeeded _in overcoming the pharaoh five thousand years ago."

The so-called "creator of the Shadow Realm" smiled at him with disbelief. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about. There is no 'Zorc.' I created this place. Me. Only me. There was only one and it was myself."

_Well he's a bit full of himself, _Malik thought and resisted to roll his eyes, his better judgment keeping his actions in check. After all, if what Azazel said was true, he was in the presence of terror and nightmares.

"You couldn't have done all this though," Bakura continued, refusing to believe what he was hearing. "You're just a simple shadow demon."

A red glint flashed across Azazel's eyes. "I think not." He smiled a Cheshire cat smile and melted into the shadows. "You see," he said, his voice echoing around them in difference octaves and frequencies. "I'm not a _simple,_" he whispered the words next to Bakura's ear, making the spirit glare in that direction, clutching his arms tighter and trying not to spit, "shadow demon." The constant bluffs of wind that blew across the Realm picked up speed. The smoggy shadows thickened and billowed around them like threatening thunderclouds; in a matter of seconds Ryou, Bakura, and Malik were surrounded in total blackness. None of them could see each other despite how close they stood together. They couldn't even see their hand in front of their face if they tried, it was that dark.

A cold and heart-chilling fear hit Ryou like a bolt of electricity. If this shadow demon, Azazel, was causing this, then Bakura was wrong of accusing him. So. Wrong.

"'Simple shadow demon,'" the voice echoed cruelly around them, sounding miles away and right in their ears. "Boy," he barked and the darkness swirled away from the three, a huge black mass of shifting and bending shadows glowered down on them. A pair of slitted, red eyes glared and razor sharp white teeth smiled pitilessly. "I am the king of all things shadow. I am the king of the Shadow Realm." He rose up and bent over so his face was an inch away from Bakura's. "Don't you _dare _question me again."

Like a light switch, the shadows returned to the light greyish-blue and Azazel popped his collar and brushed some non-existent dirt off his sleeve. "Been awhile since I've pulled that form out of the closet," he muttered to himself.

Bakura's Shadow Aura was alight with a vengeance, his knuckles pale from his clenched fists, and his eyes burning with a deep hatred. There was no way in hell that this "shadow demon king" created the Shadow Realm when Zorc _showed _Bakura when he made it. He would let him play his game for now.

/…\

Murzix had to try very hard from bursting in on Azazel. _He _the creator of the Shadow Realm? If any of the three of them actually had the right to that title, it was Murzix. He supplied the most to their creation. His kind of magic wasn't something that you could find all willy-nilly in the Duat; he was the one and only.

But watching Azazel put on a big and grand show about how he was the Big Cheese of the operation made his blood boil. Not only did the shadow fail to mention that in his plan, but he also left out a few plot holes. Like how the testy one, Bakura, was connected to Zorc. When Murzix originally asked to research the newcomers and find out more information about their test subject, Azazel shot him down, saying that he knew enough about them and would fill him in later. Murzix was doubtful, considering how many other times the two of them worked together and Azazel left out crucial information, and went ahead behind Azazel's back. Lo and behold, this "Yami Bakura" was actually the soul of a five thousand-year-old thief "king" by the name of Akefia. Apparently the best host for Zorc was a little boy who watched the genocide of his whole village for seven magical objects. The Book of Shadows, Murzix admitted bitterly, was a good idea of Azazel's.

The leaving out of pertinent information, however, was not.

"My frustrations with him continue to grow," he muttered to Wioqu as the magician heatedly threw different ingredients into his cauldron. "He's done this every time we attempted to collaborate. I at least _try _to be civil…" he continued to grumble complaints as he stirred the pot and watched the events unfold from a spying glass directly across from him. He couldn't stop the small smile from creeping up on his lips as he watched Azazel jaunt arrogantly around the three guests; Bakura's face was a far cry of pleasant. At this point, Murzix was quite pleased that he decided to add in that little Easter egg last minute.

/…\

"Uh, excuse me," Ryou said a little more meekly than he wanted; Bakura resisted rolling his eyes.

Azazel turned to Ryou and broke into a grin that looked more like a snarl. "Ryou! What can I do for you?" He strolled over and draped his arm across the frail boy's shoulders. Ryou looked extraordinarily uncomfortable.

"Now, I have two questions," he started slowly. "First, how do you know my name?"

That unknown red light glinted across Azazel's eyes. "I know the names of everyone who has entered or are currently… journeying the Shadow Realm," he said with uncharacteristic patience. "Your next question?"

"Uh, not to be rude or anything, sir," Ryou fought hard to keep his voice from quivering, "but why would the creator of the Shadow Realm want to help people get out of it? It really makes no sense. Don't you want people to stay here?"

Azazel's smiled wavered for a fraction. Well shit. He didn't think of that at all.

Thinking on his feet he said, "Because you three do not have a place here."

"I don't understand," Malik said. "I was taught that anyone, including Shadow Users, could be banished here."

"As true as that is, you three are exempt to that rule," Azazel continued to lie smoothly.

"Why us three?" Bakura pressed. "Just three in this wide maze and they just so happen to be us?"

"Don't think I am blind to your guise, Thief King," Azazel monotoned. "I am in full support of your revenge against that pharaoh."

The three Shadows Users spoke all at once.

"How do you know of that?" Bakura growled.

"What revenge?" Ryou asked.

"My readings never mentioned you…" Malik pondered.

"Boys, boys, boys!" Azazel rose a few feet off the ground. "Wait a tick. Bakura, yes I do know. And you can't do it without your lovely little host over there." He winked suggestively at Ryou, who frowned and shifted uncomfortably.

"Malik," he said next, turning his head to the Egyptian teen and ignoring Ryou's question. "Why would you books mention someone who likes to," he smiled deviously, "hide in the shadows? I often do not leave here. I didn't really care about the mortal world. Well, I used to." He trailed off vaguely and stroked his tie like a cat.

"Why?" Ryou's curiosity overruled his rationality.

Azazel gave him a steady gaze. "That's my business." He drifted a few feet higher and crossed his legs. "Now, Bakura, I want you back because that little pharaoh friend of yours wants to seal off the Shadow Realm, and I can't have that. Ryou, Bakura needs a host. And you are his light. "

Ryou sighed and crossed his arms, feeling defeated and angry without being able to do anything about it.

"And finally, my gorgeous little Tomb Keeper," the shadow shifted his eyes to look at Malik. "I believe you have a road block keeping you from entering your body?"

"I do, yes," Malik replied, placing his hands on his hips. "What is it to you?"

"Weeeell," the shadow drawled, "that silly dark of yours is preventing Bakura from reaching his goal." He grinned. "I could eradicate his soul and bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, you get your body back."

"And why would you do that?"

"Simple: I don't like the pharaoh."

"You're going to help us like that?" Ryou inquired. "That makes no sense."

Azazel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He realized his action was something Murzix did often and opted crossing his arms instead. "If the Shadow Realm is closed, then no more people can wander in. With no people, I am out of business." He explained.

"So you want us to leave so other helpless people can accidentally end up here?" Malik asked.

"Precisely!"

"I don't wish this on anyone," Ryou demurred. "I don't want to hurt innocent people!"

"Would you rather starve to death here?" Azazel quietly threatened.

"No…"

"Then," Azazel fell back to the ground and snapped his fingers, a portal opening behind him. "I suggest you go home."

Malik and Ryou looked warily at each other for a moment and walked forward together.

Bakura hung back and gave Azazel a hard stare.

"I don't know what your game is," he cautioned, his voice gruff, "but I will find your aim. You are no threat to me."

The shadow surveyed him. "It's a shame you feel that way," the red glint flashed across his eyes as he rounded the spirit, "because you should be threatened. You should be _afraid. _Run to your fake god," he chided.

After a moment, Bakura walked through the portal.

"Run while you can," Azazel smiled a Cheshire cat grin and melted into the darkness.

* * *

Hazah?

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	11. All That Glitters

I want this done before the year is over. I know I've said that before, but I have roughly five chapters left. And I want to say I finished one chapter story! Let's go!

I know I said I'd only use the Japanese names from now on, but I have a headcanon that Ryuji goes by the nickname Duke. So that's why I have that there. I have a big YGO headcanon on my tumblr. My screenname is acornerofthesky and my headcanons are under "writings." Feel free to check them out!

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**All That Glitters**

Something felt off the moment Malik crossed the portal. He turned to go back but the shadows sealed it off. Sighing, he squeezed his eyes for a moment, trying to get over the sickness that overcame him and the brightness of the sun. He opened them slowly and looked down, noticing something very odd.

_He was transparent._

"That shit!" he shouted, his voice echoing with each word. He should have known better than to trust a demon. He sighed angrily and glanced around, noticing he was on top of the airship, the same place where he was originally banished to the Shadow Realm. He looked around for Ryou—or would it be Bakura?—but found himself alone. Cross from being tricked and sluggish from the journey and a lack of a body, he turned and descended down the stairs, hoping to find _some_one.

It was odd travelling as a disjointed soul. Last time he was like this he was attached to the Millennium Ring so he was anchored. Now, he didn't know if a gust of wind could rip him away. Did he even dare to use his Shadow Magic? Would the shadows take him back? He stopped in his room, glad that it was empty. He looked down at his hand. Did he dare to use his Shadow Magic? Slowly, he flipped his hand, palm facing downward, and flicked his wrist out. A sliver of a shadow escaped in his motion and he smiled in relief before an unbearable pain split his head in half. He groaned in agony, doubled over, and clutched his skull.

"Shadow Magic is a no," he breathed heavily and shakily stood back up. Malik took a few breathes before exiting the room, decided that if no one was on board they would be on top of the tower he saw from the top of the ship. His ears strained against the silence. He neared the tower and saw stairs that lead to the top.

"Too cheap for an elevator, Kaiba?" he muttered, but started to climb. Everyday tasks became more arduous. By the third flight, Malik was completely out of breath.

"Damn this… lack of… a body," he cursed between breaths, but trudged forward. Halfway to the top, he started hearing familiar sounds; cheering, the electronic chime of summoning a monster, and machinery groaning. He quickened his pace though his lungs and legs protested.

He covered his eyes when he reached the top, the sudden brightness of the sun blinding him for a moment after walking in the dark. The blindness cleared and he smiled the most genuine and wide smile he had for a while.

The pharaoh was dueling Kaiba. Anzu, Jou, Honda, Serenity, and Duke were cheering from the sidelines. Mokuba was standing by his brother giving him words of encouragement. Ryou stood off in a corner, a plate of food in his hand. He was too busy in his food to even notice Malik—_Can any of them even see me? _He wondered—and was shoveling mashed potatoes in his mouth. The Millennium Ring hung around his neck. He looked around, but didn't see any sign of his dark or his sister.

It was the pharaoh who noticed him first. He was looking at Kaiba when his eyes slide over to the door. His jaw dropped and he almost dropped the card he was holding. "Malik?"

Everyone else looked over, their faces a mixture of shock, relief, and confusion. Ryou looked up from his food, smiling at his friend before his face fell.

"Wh-what happened?" Anzu looked at him with shock. "Why are you transparent?"

"Malik?" Ryou ran over to his friend, careful not to drop his plate. "Where's your body?"

"I was hoping you would know," he answered, still trying to catch his breath. "It's kinda hard moving around like this. Where's my sister and brother?"

"Still on the ship," Honda said, walking over to him. "Are you like a ghost or something?"

"No," Malik watched the pharaoh leave the dueling platform much to Kaiba's protestations. "I'm a soul. Where is my body? Where is my darker half?"

"It was odd," the pharaoh said, a slight edge in his voice. "I was getting ready to duel Marik when suddenly the Millennium Items started acting up. All three began to glow and they shot a beam of light at him. He collapsed and Ishizu took him down to the blimp. And now you show up." Despite being much shorter than Malik, the pharaoh was able to give him a look that could rival Bakura's. "Doesn't that sound suspicious to you?"

Malik tried not to shout. He thought Ishizu explained everything to the group. Yet the pharaoh was still angry with him? He looked over at Ryou and his face said everything; say nothing about Azazel.

"We found a portal out," Malik explained, keeping his voice even. "We started looking the moment we were banished there. I guess the moment that my soul passed through his soul was sucked in. Like a substitute."

The pharaoh stared at him for a moment longer and nodded. "Your story does check out. Ryou said about the same thing, however," he turned to Ryou and pointed at the Millennium Ring, "is Bakura there too?"

Ryou frowned and closed his eyes, concentrating. His face paled and he sighed, "Yes."

"Why wasn't he sent to the Shadow Realm then too?"

"He was," Ryou said, clearly not happy about talking about his dark. "But we were both sent there at the same time. Two checked in, two checked out. You know," he shuffled his feet, "you need light and dark."

The pharaoh nodded his head knowingly while the rest of the gang exchanged confused looks. "We should go find your sister then and get you back in your body."

Malik grinned. "I'd like that."

/…\

Ryou nearly passed out from hunger when he stepped through the portal. He stumbled forward, trying to figure out his surroundings. He was in one of the rooms in the airship, but it was just an extra. Trying not to fall over, he walked out the door and looked around.

"Hello?" he called weakly. "Anyone there?"

With no answer back, he exited the room, hell bent on finding a kitchen before anyone else. He located the kitchen and raided the fridge, eating anything and everything he could reach. Cheese and apples, grapes and leftover baked fish, milk and pickles… Ryou didn't care about the combinations of food he put together. He grabbed a bunch of stuff and threw some pots and pans on the stove; within ten minutes Ryou made himself a full course meal. He heaped mashed potatoes, fried chicken, broccoli, stuffing, and a salad on the biggest platter he could find, grabbed silverware and left the kitchen, almost running into Ishizu and Roland carrying Marik.

"Ryou!" Ishizu exclaimed. "Ho-how are you here? I thought you were banished to the Shadow Realm? How did you get out? Where is my brother?"

"We fub a bortful," Ryou swallowed and repeated, "we found a portal. And it led us here. What happened to him?" Ryou put down his platter a bit reluctantly and helped the elder Ishtar and Kaiba's henchman carry Marik into the closest, room Ishizu explaining what happened as they walked.

"I'm not sure if it's Marik of Malik though," she said.

Ryou looked at the passed out form of his friend—hopefully it was his friend—and tilted his head. Marik's hair stood up at gravity defying angles and Malik's laid flat besides his cowlicked bangs. However, the person in front of him had neither hairstyle; it was at an awkward in between stage of terrible bedheadedness.

"It looks like a transition stage," Ryou commented. "When we passed through the portal Malik must have gone straight to his body and the two must be having an internal war."

Ishizu wrinkled her forehead and took her brother's hand. "Be strong, Malik."

"I think he'll be okay," Ryou smiled at Ishizu. "Where is everyone else?"

"Duel tower," Roland answered. "Yugi and Marik were just about to battle when he passed out. Mr. Kaiba challenged Yugi to a second duel. You are welcome to go join them."

Ryou gave his friend one last look before bidding Ishizu and Roland goodbye. He grabbed his platter of food and walked toward the exit door when a glimmer caught his eye from one of the open rooms. He backtracked and looked in the door. His Millennium Ring lay haphazard on the bedside table, glowing slightly. He entered the room and looked down at it. He didn't need to touch it to know that his darker half was there. He was almost tempted to just leave it there and come back for it later, but he rubbed his chest where it usually sat and found he felt naked without it. Gingerly, he picked it up and pulled the cord around his neck with one hand.

In the back of his mind he heard a door open and close.

/…\

Bakura should've known that the moment he stepped through that portal he would've been dragged back to the Millennium Ring. He grumbled, pacing around his soul room. He couldn't sense Ryou anywhere. Miffed, he projected himself outside the Ring.

The Ring sat on a bedside table in one of the rooms in the airship. He looked out the window, but was on the wrong side of the ship to see anything except for ocean. The sound of footsteps outside the door made him disappear back in the Ring, but he felt that familiar pull when his light was near.

"_Yadonashi," _he called.

The steps backtracked and he saw through the Eye it was his host. But Ryou was just looking at the Ring.

"_Oh, for bloody sake just put it on," _he cawed. _"I'll find you if you don't."_

After a moment his light looped the cord around his neck and Bakura sighed, almost relieved. The connection with his host wasn't as strong as before… it may be because of the shadows tearing at the invisible strings that connected them… or because Ryou's Shadow Magic was still intact. No matter. Bakura would remedy the problem in the near future.

He opened the door of his soul room and looked across the hall, double-checking that Ryou's door was across. He sniffed in approval that it was and quickly shut the door again, deciding that the best course of action was just to watch for now.

The shocked and delighted reactions of the pharaoh and his friends were almost sickening. Ryou was obviously happy to see his friends, Bakura observed, but he could tell that the pharaoh was a bit skeptical. He glanced through the Eye of the Ring to the Eye of the Puzzle and felt the curious gaze of the pharaoh's little host looking back. Bakura _so _wanted to be the one to tell the pharaoh of his great escape from the Shadow Realm, but Ryou pulled a safe card, making everything sound so _innocent _and _believable. _So Kaiba and the pharaoh continued with their silly duel. Ryou shoveled more food in his mouth. Bakura watched.

However, being back in the "real world" was… different. There was a strange air about it. Almost… stale. He didn't trust that Azazel character from the start, but he did feel back at home… almost. There was something off, and he couldn't put his finger on it.

His thoughts were interrupted when a ghostly figure of Malik stumbled up the stairs.

_So that bastard didn't put him directly in his body, _Bakura thought. _That's… unfortunate. _

And of course after becoming boyfriends in the Shadow Realm his host _had _to rush over to see if his love was okay. Bakura rolled his eyes.

So the pharaoh deserted his duel with Kaiba much to his protestations and his little entourage helped Malik down the stairs, which was a hard project since no one could physically touch him. As they walked, everyone fired questions at them about their time in the Shadow Realm. The pharaoh at first said for them not to bug the Brit and Egyptian because the Shadow Realm is a very scarring place—_Oh, like _he _knows, _Bakura scoffed—but after Malik said it was okay they pelted them like rain.

"Did you two stay together while in the Shadow Realm?" Anzu asked.

Malik nodded. "Yes. It was a very slim, _very slim, _chance that we would even find each other, but the fact that we were able to stick with each other the entire time is a miracle."

"How long were you there?" Jou asked. "Does the time run differently there? It's been three days here."

Ryou and Malik looked at each other and breathed a long, tired sigh.

"It does," Ryou answered. "Time doesn't mean anything. You can only keep track with internal clocks. We were there almost five months."

"_Five months?!_" the group chimed together.

"I'm so sorry!" Anzu gushed.

"Oh geez," Honda exclaimed.

"Whoa!" Jou gasped.

"Oh no, guys!" Duke gawped.

"No wonder that you two are such good friends now," the pharaoh observed.

Bakura once again rolled his eyes.

Finding Ishizu was painless; she cried over the sight of her brother. Just when she was finished wiping her tears, Odion had awoken and walked into the room, causing her to start crying all over again.

The biggest shock though was when Mai walked into the room. Jou's reaction was the best; he fainted. Mai giggled and rolled her eyes and Ishizu continued to cry.

"If you give me a moment, Sis, I'll hug you," Malik said jokingly. "Where is the Millennium Rod? I think I need it to do this properly."

Ishizu agreed and pulled it out of the back pocket of Malik's body. She offered it to her brother, and her cautiously took it, breathing a sigh as his fingers wrapped around it. He closed his eyes and the Eye of Horus glowed bright on his forehead. Both Maliks began to glow brightly too and the spirit became a mist and flew into the center of the body, the Rod falling to the floor. It took a few moments, but Malik slowly woke up. He blinked a few times and gradually sat up, touching his chest, hair, face, and arms like he was making sure he was real. The smile he gave his sister was almost touching. The three Ishtar siblings hugging each other was the icing on the cake.

Bakura patiently waited in the Ring.

/…\

Malik couldn't even begin to describe the feeling of what it was like to be back in his body. He didn't want to stop hugging his sister and brother. And for the first time in his life, he felt free. Free of the burden of tomb keeping, free from his dark side oppressing him… his was in total bliss, enamored by this new feeling. He couldn't stop smiling.

The talk with the pharaoh was a bit awkward. They walked out in the hallway so he could speak to him privately. When he started to apologize, the pharaoh held his hand up.

"Your sister clearly explained all that has happened to you," he said. "I would like to say sorry for not trusting you when I first saw you today. That was wrong of me."

"My king," Malik replied. "You had every right to be wary of me. Considering what I did in the past, that does not give me a free pass. I was well aware of everything I did."

The pharaoh smiled gently at him. "Yes, but not always of your free will. Like I said, you sister explained everything perfectly. I forgive you, my friend."

"'Friend?'" Malik repeated.

"Of course!" suddenly exclaimed Yugi; Malik tilted his head down further to look at him in the eyes. "I mean, why not? We both love Duel Monsters and from what I've heard your sister say, you seem like a pretty okay guy. So, why not?"

Malik blinked before his face broke into a huge grin. "Why not!" He pointed at the door. "What about them?"

Yugi shrugged. "Anzu is pretty chill about accepting people. Course, I'd still apologize for kidnapping her."

Malik rubbed the back of his neck.

"Honda and Jou… I'd give them another three hours. They should be good by then. And you really didn't do anything to Duke, so I think you're in the clear. Same goes for Serenity, but you did hurt her brother, so be careful.

"I'd be careful with Mai. She doesn't forgive easily."

Yugi's predictions were very accurate.

Anzu was chill, as was Duke. Jou and Honda warmed up to him after a few hours. Serenity was angry for two minutes before forgiving him. Kaiba retreated to his room shortly thereafter and no one saw him once. Mokuba was generally nice to everybody. Mai just avoided him, but he was okay with that. When she wanted to talk to him, she would.

They spent the rest of the afternoon and late into the evening just hanging out, playing charades and mini tournaments of Duel Monsters as well as traditional card games like Spoons and Crazy Eights. It was celebratory party that everyone was okay; the world was no longer in danger. Yugi and his friends accepted Malik into their group and he felt like he belonged. But mostly, it was a bunch of teenagers just being teenagers.

He had the most fun in his entire life.

What made the night even better was Ryou _was_ Ryou. It wasn't the Spirit of the Millennium Ring pretending to be his host; it was a rare occasion where he got to be himself and enjoy life. Malik figured it was because Bakura needed some cooperation time or he was plotting something, but he didn't worry about it. That was an adventure for another time.

The airship set off for the mainland at 8:00 in the morning. Kaiba set off an explosion that destroyed the island. They reached Domino around 11:00. At the docks, Malik showed his back to the pharaoh and told him what was passed down from generation to generation. He and his sister gave the pharaoh their Millennium Items; they had no need for them anymore. He was slightly sad that his Shadow Magic would no longer be as strong, but having the Rod around would be a painful reminder anyway.

The goodbyes were short; Mai forgave Malik and took off. Duke left next, saying he had to work on his game. Lastly, the Ishtars left. Malik told the pharaoh he wanted to be his guide when he came to Egypt. The pharaoh graciously accepted. Finally, Malik pulled Ryou aside.

"So this is it," Malik said.

"I guess so," Ryou replied.

They stared at each other for a long moment before laughing gut hurting laughs.

"Thank you so much for helping me not die," Ryou said.

"Thank _you _for keeping me sane!"

"I wouldn't have wanted to be trapped in the Shadow Realm with anyone else."

"Well," Malik pointed to the Ring, "minus him. He was a pain in the ass. You know, two's a company but three's a crowd."

Ryou's smile was small. "Don't be a stranger, you hear? Just because you live halfway across the world doesn't mean you can't visit."

"I'll drop in occasionally," Malik promised. "And I will literally drop in. I do still have Shadow Magic. I'll need more time between uses, but I can still us it."

"You know," Ryou began. "I've never had a best friend before."

Knowing where the conversation was headed, Malik beamed. "Me either."

They smiled at each other and hugged before Malik ran off to join his siblings.

:::^:::

Two months passed before Malik realized there was something wrong.

He never noticed it before, but at night when he would go out and look at the stars from their new house, he always thought the sky naturally looked like it was breathing. He asked his sister about it and she gave him the strangest look.

"Malik, the sky is still," she said. "It's space. You're probably just looking at some clouds."

The more he looked at the sky, the less he thought it was clouds.

And Odion was a lot quieter. He was quiet to begin with, but after they got home, he started speaking less and less. Malik was lucky to get two sentences out of him daily. At first he pushed it off that he was traumatized from Battle City, but as the weeks turned into months, the less he thought it was trauma.

What set him over the edge was when Ryou suddenly shadow travelled in his bedroom at 3:00 AM.

"If you see another Ryou," he raved, "he's a fake! Bakura found a way to bend shadows in our world so they look like people!"

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Malik believed him. But after ten seconds of thought, he realized "Ryou's" accusations were preposterous because shadows didn't do that and he called the Spirit of the Ring Bakura.

"You aren't Ryou," Malik suspected.

"What?" Ryou exclaimed. "Of course I'm me! What makes you say that?"

"A few things," Malik started inching backwards to his bedside table where he kept his cards. "One, Ryou wouldn't show up unannounced."

"It was an emergency—"

"Two," he was about two feet away, "when Ryou entered the real world again Bakura would have sealed up his Shadow Magic in a heartbeat."

"Well his seal wasn't as strong this time—"

"And three," a foot away, he inched slowly closer; Ryou started slowly nearing him. "Ryou would never called Bakura by his first name." Malik opened his drawer and pulled out his deck, summoning the first card he grabbed. In a flurry of shadows Newdoria growled at Ryou and stood it's ground. Ryou looked aghast at his friend.

"Malik!" he cried. "You don't believe me? And after all we've been through?"

"Sorry 'Ryou,'" Malik said. "I can't take any chances.

A sudden ripping sound caused Malik to look to his right. A small rift was tearing in thin air, like someone was having a hard time shadow travelling. A hand reached up through the hole and the face of Ryou appeared.

"MALIK!" he cried, fear and anger in his voice. "That isn't me! We're still in the Shadow Realm! Spirit was right! Azazel tricked us! Help m—" he was cut off when a tanned hand flew over Ryou's face and pulled him backwards. Malik stared at his own face through the rip.

"Ryou!" the other Malik scolded. "You can't just go and try to shadow travel places! Especially someone who—" the rip closed.

Newdoria looked at Malik for a moment and disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

Malik turned to "Ryou."

"That was weird," he said.

Oh yeah. They were still in the Shadow Realm.

* * *

Yeah, I tried to set it up that Azazel did help them, but it was too obvious that they were still there. Oh well. They were convinced anyway.

It must have been a pretty kickass spell if Malik wasn't able to sense all of his Shadow Magic. It's obviously at full power in the Shadow Realm. Murzix is really good though.

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	12. Holes and Leaks

I actually want to finish this before the month is over. Yeah a MUCH bigger goal than last time. I am confident in finishing it though because the last chapters all occur in the anime, so all I have to do is watch episodes and then interpret to my satisfaction!

I really hope that I did a good job of withholding information. Please let me know if I was too obvious about what was to come at all. Keeping info from readers is defiantly not my strongest aspect, and I will gladly take any advice on how to do it better! :)

Thank you to all who have reviewed/viewed/stuck with me as this story went through some odd times and a re-vamp. You guys are seriously AWESOME.

Onward to chapter 12!

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO.

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Holes and Leaks**

Ryou realized that he was still in the Shadow Realm the moment his father got back from his dig in Egypt and started talking to him again roughly a week after Battle City. It wasn't that they didn't talk before, but their typical conversations went along the lines of:

Ryou: Hi, Father. How was Egypt?

Mr. Bakura: Hot and dry. We made progress though. How is school?

Ryou: Good. I made top of the class.

Mr. Bakura: That's nice. What do you want for dinner?

Ryou: I can make miso soup.

Mr. Bakura: Sounds okay.

However, when Ryou's father showed up this time, their conversation went more like this:

Mr. Bakura: Ryou! How was the tournament? Did you win?

Ryou: Erm… it went okay. I lost against Yugi early on and then I dueled my friend Malik for fun.

Mr. Bakura: Such a shame. You'll get them next time!

Ryou: Erm… thanks. How was Egypt?

Mr. Bakura: Hot and dry, but still it went really well. We managed to dig up another unknown pharaoh from the Valley of the Kings.

Ryou: That's fantastic news.

Mr. Bakura: It really is! We're going to have one of the experts take a look and see if we can figure out who they are. How has school been going?

Ryou: Good for the most part. I made top of the class again.

Mr. Bakura: Congratulations! That's so exciting! We should celebrate and go out for dinner. Where would you like to go?

Ryou: Uh… there is a little noodle shop a few blocks away that looks good.

Mr. Bakura: Alright! We'll leave in ten minutes!

Ryou's apprehension continued to grow for a few more days before he finally asked his father about his sudden happy demeanor.

"Father," Ryou knocked softly on the door of the guest room where his father usually lived when he came home from digs; he never stayed longer than a month in Japan before having to head back.

His father looked up from a book and took his reading glasses off. "Yes, Ryou? Come on in."

Ryou hesitantly walked in the room, standing at the foot of the bed. He could either start by accusing his father—a small part of him wanted to, but he knew he was raised better than to yell at an adult—or he could tread carefully. He went with the latter. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"What do you mean?" his father put the book down, some biography about an archeologist, and sat up.

"Well," Ryou chose his words carefully, "you seem awfully… chipper as of late."

"Nothing wrong with that," his father chuckled lightly. "Son, is something bugging you?"

The British teen sighed and folded his hands. "You've just haven't been this happy since…" he trailed off and looked at his father.

He nodded, understanding where his son was going. "I know. But this past dig…" he smiled at no one in particular. "It really opened my eyes. It's been over ten years. I still have a son to raise and I've done a terrible job of doing so. Being in the desert for months on end without any family can be very lonely. So I've decided to take a bit of a break and attempt to be a father again." He got off the bed and put his hands on Ryou's shoulders. "All we have is each other. And you graduate in a little over a year. I know it will be nearly impossible to make up for all those years I deserted you, but I can try, right?"

Ryou opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was speechless. This was… not like his father at all. His father, for as long as Ryou could remember, never let go of things. Ryou once did poorly on a test and his father never let him forget about it. He had vague memories when he was little about his parents arguing over his mother quitting her job to be a stay at home mom. Ryou's dad wanted her to continue modeling, but she wanted to raise her family. They argued over this until the accident.

And now… he suddenly wanted to forget about the death of his wife and daughter and move on with life? This wasn't Ryou's father. Not at all. But Ryou couldn't let him know that he was on to him.

"Thank you, Father," Ryou said, tears pricking at his eyes.

His "dad" smiled at him and they hugged for a time. Ryou released his "father," grinned at him, and walked out, his face falling, a very rare and black looking darkening his face.

_So this is war Shadow Realm, _he thought.

He'd never admit it later, but the times he was alone in the fake real world, he channeled his darker half.

:::^:::

About a week and a half passed before Ryou's suspicions were confirmed.

School was all and well. His friends seemed normal. Besides his "father's" oddness, everything was normal.

Except for the Spirit had remained dormant the entire time.

Ryou was relieved at first, but the inactivity of his dark then started to worry Ryou. From what he could remember, the longest he went without the Spirit possessing him after he revealed himself to Ryou was four months, but that was seven years ago. Now he was lucky to go a week. But it had been over two weeks and the most he heard was a door open and close. Ryou's curiosity and worry steadily grew until one day he decided to do something he had never dared before: visit the Spirit in his soul room.

There was an unwritten rule that Ryou was not to disturb the Spirit—not that Ryou ever wanted to—but desperate times called for desperate measures.

So one day after school he went to a quiet part of the local park near his apartment, closed his eyes, and entered his soul room.

The last time he was in it, it was pitch black; the only thing visible was a clock on a wall. However, now everything was visible, he couldn't stop the small smile from crossing his lips.

The room was neat and tidy, not plastic looking, but cleaned on a regular basis. Awards of good grades and other achievements hung on the walls. One wall was lined with bookcases filled with books about everything from gaming to _Harry Potter_. Another wall had a cabinet filled with game boards, cards, dice, and his favorite games. The carpet had dark blue swirls intermixing with light blue swirls. The walls were painted a light cream color. He looked through an open window with white curtains lazily swaying in a summer wind. Countryside with rolling hills and a small village met his eyes. He gasped.

"England," he breathed.

He turned and almost bumped into a huge RPG table that stood in the middle of the room. A desk with papers and pictures of his current friends and friends from the past strewn across the surface was pushed in a corner: the only messy part of the room. A cozy microfiber couch was flush against the desk and wall. A simple, but comfortable bed was on the opposite side.

"So this is what it looks like," Ryou said, walking over to the desk and ruffling through the papers and pictures, smiling here are there as familiar faces grinned up at him. He sighed and closed his eyes, allowing himself one moment of peace before opening the door of his soul room and peering out.

The hallway between his soul room and the Spirit's was dark, only lit from Ryou's open door. He looked both ways, the hallway seeming endless on both sides, but he knew that if he walked either way it would circle back. He rotated his head to straight across and swallowed. The Spirit's door was gold, embedded with rubies and sapphires and diamonds all entwined in an Ancient Egyptian design; it was beautiful.

"Perfect for a thief," Ryou took a breath and reached out, knocking twice on the door.

It seemed like forever passed before the door slowly opened. The Brit inhaled sharply, shocked that he was actually going to be _allowed in the Spirit's soul room. _A key materialized in his hand—the key to his room—and he pulled his door shut before walking across the hall and pushing the Spirit's cracked door open.

The room looked like a pharaoh's throne room. There was treasure and gold everywhere from every era. Hundreds of intricate clay pots sat haphazardly in the far left corner. A throne, cracked and broken, sat in the middle of the room. Six square pillars stood parallel to each other in lines, two next to Ryou, two next to the throne, and two behind. Columns of fire lined the walls. Ryou looked up and gasped, dark shadows and Duel Spirits floating forty feet above his head. Quiet sniffling caught his attention and he looked at the opposite corner of the pots. A little boy with short white hair and a ruined tunic crouched in the corner, his back to Ryou. A shred of pity tore Ryou's heart and he slowly walked toward the crying child.

"Hullo," he said softly, "are yo—"

"_How did you get in here?_"

Ryou froze mid-step and fear replaced his pity. Cautiously, he turned and his heart sank to the deepest pits of Hell as his eyes connected with the furious blood red pair of his darker half.

"_How the bloody-fucking-hell did you get in here?!_" He demanded again.

"Th-the door," Ryou stammered. "You opened it."

"_I did _no _such thing._"

"I knocked," Ryou continued, his voice meek. "I knocked and the door opened."

Bakura's eyes flashed to the child in the corner. "Did you open the door?"

The boy, either ignoring Bakura or unaware that he was being addressed, continued crying and didn't turn.

"_Akefia." _He barked.

The boy, as well as Ryou, flinched and turned, his startling light lavender eyes filled with fear and a deep sadness. He hesitated for an instant then nodded.

Bakura stormed over and grabbed the boy by his hair and pulled him up. "Why in Ra's name did you _let him in? _I told you to never open the door!"

Akefia whimpered something incoherent and Bakura pulled harder, the boy crying out.

"I was lonely and you're always mean to me!"

"Well you're a little _shit." _

Akefia's face scrunched up in fury and he spat on Bakura's face. Bakura's eyes widened, but he just threw the boy to the ground and wiped his cheek. Akefia resumed crying. Bakura then whipped around to Ryou and growled, but let his head fall back before sighing, "You might as well stay while you're here."

Ryou blinked. "Wh-What?"

"Quit that stuttering," Bakura snapped. "There is…" He groaned and stomped over to the throne, sitting carelessly on it, throwing one leg over the side. "This is just a mess."

The Spirit's mood swings threw Ryou. It wasn't that he has never been moody before, it was just the manner in which he was doing it.

"...What is going on?" Ryou asked hesitantly. "Why did you call him," Ryou pointed to the little boy, "Akefia and why is that name familiar? And why haven't you kicked me out yet? And when did you start using such coarse language?"

Bakura blinked slowly and huffed. "That bastard shadow demon tricked us. I called him Akefia because that is his name. I don't know why you recognize it. I haven't kicked you out because I have some questions of my own. And you have to keep with the times, yadonashi." He grinned menacingly at Ryou and the Brit shifted anxiously.

"Since you are aware that we were tricked," Ryou asked, "are you still an apparition?"

"No. I am but a small part of the true Bakura. The main part of me is still lost in the maze."

"How—"

"Uh-uh," Bakura interrupted. "My turn for questions. How did you sense my presence? Usually the small fragments of the main part aren't sensed."

"In the blimp when I put the Millennium Ring on I heard the door open and close."

"Ah," Bakura tapped his pointer finger to his lips. "That must have triggered the soul room to reset."

"Reset?"

"I'm not an idiot," Bakura stated blatantly. "Just as I was about duel Marik I made a failsafe in your mind just in case. It was only to trigger if anything in the Shadow Realm that resembled a Millennium Item came in contact with you."

"Why?"

"Because I knew that someone would be messing with you if you came in contact with anything that seemed like a Millennium Item."

"And why this care about me?"

Bakura, who was examining his fingernails while answering, slid his eyes to meet Ryou's and looked at him darkly. "You should know I am very possessive of my property."

Ryou narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything.

"What exactly is the trap that Azazel set for us?" Bakura inquired.

"It looks like I'm back in the real world," Ryou stated. "But there are some major glitches. He didn't do a very good job creating the mirage."  
"Examples." Bakura demanded.

"Dad. His character is off."

"How? Oh, just come here."

Ryou jerked forward, but stopped. "Why? Can't you see what's going on?"

"No. We don't have the Ring, so I can't see the outside world. I'm trapped in here. Whenever you hear the door open and close, that's me trying to get out. Obviously it's been relentless, but this part of me is stubborn."

"I can think of a few other adjectives," Ryou muttered.

"You have quite a lip today," Bakura curled his lip. "Just because I'm being civil right now doesn't mean I will be in the next minute."

Ryou swallowed and walked forward. Bakura sat up in the throne and touched his middle and pointer fingers to Ryou's temples. Ryou stiffened.

"What are you doing?" he asked cautiously.

"Calm down," Bakura rolled his eyes. "I'm seeing what you've done since you walked through the portal. It won't hurt." He closed his eyes and the Eye of Horus glowed briefly on his forehead before flickering out. Bakura pulled his fingers away and crossed his arms. "There. Painless. And now I'm all caught up."

"How were you able to do that?"

"You two are connected."

Ryou and Bakura both turned their head to Akefia, who had stopped crying and was looking curiously at them.

Bakura's eyes flashed and he glared at the little boy. "Don't say another word."

"But maybe he can save you!" Akefia yipped.

"Be quiet."

"Maybe he could save us!"

"I said," Bakura swiftly got up and rushed the boy, covering his mouth and grabbing his hair again, "_be quiet._"

Akefia's expression changed to anger and he tried to kick Bakura in the shin. The Spirit expected that and picked up the little boy and swung him over his shoulder.

"Nice try," he growled and walked over to one of the piles of treasures. He kicked gold, silver, gems, and precious jewelry aside to reveal a trap door. He skillfully opened it with his foot and threw Akefia into it. "I'll let you out when you learn how to keep your mouth shut." He spat into the trap door.

"I know how to get out of here!" Akefia's annoyed voice echoed from below.

"We'll see," Bakura said ominously. He whistled and a vapor of shadows shot down from above, clearing to reveal Dark Necromancer. He smirked at the Duel Spirit and she blinked back. "Guard him." He slammed the door shut, shoved treasure over it and walked back to the throne, once more lounging in the chair.

"What did he mean by 'us'?" Ryou asked quietly after a few minutes of silence.

"None of your business," Bakura rumbled.

Ryou, feeling oddly brave after seeing this offbeat bipolar version of the Spirit who was strangely calm around Ryou instead of cruel and indifferent, pressed anyway. After hearing the interactions between Bakura and different parties, he had formed his own theories and wanted to test them.

"But the name Akefia seems familiar…" he continued.

"It shouldn't." Bakura warned.

"I remember!" Ryou ran to the door and opened it. "I'll be right back!" He unlocked his soul room and ran to the desk, rummaging through the papers until he found an old piece of parchment he vaguely remember seeing when he was young. He ran back out, closing the door behind him, and rushed back into Bakura's soul room. He ran up to the throne and showed his dark the parchment.

"Right here!" he exclaimed, pointing to the parchment. "It talks about Ancient Egypt when Shadow Magic was still used and about a thief named Akefia."

Bakura looked down at the parchment and slowly, he began to laugh. It was a terrifying, heart-chilling sound, cold and meaningless. A chill ran down Ryou's back.

"Oh, I was so _careless _when I first found you," he was still smiling, a harsh and sharp grin. "Too careless." He turned to Ryou. "Do you know what that is written in?"

Ryou shook his head.

"Look again."

He did so, and Ryou's jaw dropped as the English words morphed to hieroglyphics. "H-how—?"

"I was so careless," Bakura interrupted, still smirking but strangely composed. "I can't believe I let that slip." His eyes widened and he snapped his head behind the throne. Ryou looked as well, and little Akefia was leaning against one of the golden pillars, a small and mildly familiar sneer on his face.

"_You._" Bakura snarled. He whipped to Dark Necromancer. "You were supposed to be guarding him!"

She shrugged and yawned before disappearing in an explosion of shadows.

He groaned and once more looked behind to Akefia. "You leaked information."

"What are you going to do about it?"

Ryou suddenly realized that all the conversations Akefia and his dark had were in Ancient Egyptian, but he could still understand them.

"You're why he can understand our conversation," Bakura stated as if reading Ryou's mind. "Why he can _read _hieroglyphics and _speak _my language. Why he recognizes your name, and all the little realizations he had in the past." Bakura got up and his Shadow Aura, dark and menacing, pulsed around him.

"The opening and closing of the door wasn't always you," Akefia replied.

"When did you do it?"

"When you possessed the boy," Akefia said, speaking like he was older than Ryou though he didn't look older than seven. "That's when you let your guard down the most."

Bakura closed his eyes and breathed a small "oh."

"I'm surprised you didn't catch on earlier."

"Well I suppressed him, didn't I?" Bakura said cockily. "How was he going to be able to read any of the information you slipped when he was in the dark?"

"I wasn't talking about then," Akefia continued. "I'm talking about when he confronted you in the Shadow Realm and after his Shadow Magic was released."

"Other things were on my mind," Bakura said distractedly.

Akefia scoffed. "Are you telling me that you didn't _notice? _And you claim to be so observant."

Bakura's Shadow Aura pulsed more violently.

"What are you going to do? Beat me again? Pull my hair? Throw me in the trap door?" Akefia shook his head. "You're just hurting yourself. Stop resisting."

"Don't you see?" Bakura walked forward. "We are so different. You're just a past reflection. I'm now. I'm _me._"

"No," Akefia insisted. "You're warped. And not this small sadistic part of you. _All of you. _You're a host, and I'm what's left of the true self."

Tense silence, heated and eclectic, fell. The two started at each other and Bakura suddenly seemed to remember that Ryou was in the room. "Get out."

"But—"

"_GET OUT!_" he bellowed and a shadow flew from his foot and shoved Ryou out the door, closing and locking it behind him. He pressed his ear against the door but heard nothing. Confused, shaken, and scared, Ryou left his soul room and returned to his body, leaving with more questions than he entered with.

:::^:::

For the next two weeks Ryou went with the motions. He and his "dad" started doing stereotypical father-son things like going to sporting events and camping. When summer vacation started, he attended Duel Monsters tournaments and his "father" attended every one. It was off and wrong, but a part of Ryou liked this version of his dad.

His "friends" were the most normal out of everything. Azazel must have done his homework in that department because they were spot on. They hung out together and even once became suspicious of the Millennium Ring and Bakura's lack of activity. Ryou obviously didn't tell them about the odd encounter with his dark, so he made up that he'd been remaining dormant and probably planning nothing good. They bought it with no hesitation and life continued.

However, there were glaring glitches with the trap. Ryou from time to time would catch glimpses of his Shadow Aura while doing random tasks or dueling. The night sky always seemed to look like it was breathing. Sometimes streets just ended but cars would drive to and from places.

The one thing that was actually physically his and not a mirage was his deck. Knowing that he had his physical cards gave him a sort of comfort, but they were also indicators that he was still in the Shadow Realm. Once while dueling, he put his Lady of Faith on the field and she turned and gave him a pitying look. Other times his monsters would sometimes ignore him when they were summoned during a duel. Dark Necromancer was especially sassy.

It was about two and a half months living like this before Ryou couldn't take it anymore. It was _wrong._ _Everything_ was so damn _wrong._ He felt alone and missed his friends. He missed walking aimlessly in the Shadow Realm with Malik, telling embarrassing stories and hopes for the future. He'd rather be lost than trapped in a cage. He even missed the Spirit. He tried once more knocking on Bakura's soul room door, but no one answered. So Ryou decided to take matters in his own hands.

"Hey Father," he said one day.

"Yes?"

"Can I take a trip to Egypt? I want to see an old friend."

"Isn't this a bit sudden?" his "father" replied. "Does he know your coming?"

Ryou smiled. "I thought I'd surprise him."

Ryou's "father" thought that was a splendid idea and booked a flight the next day.

The reason he wanted to go to Egypt was because he knew in the real world it was the most Shadow Magic heavy. If Azazel wanted to keep true to his maze—well, sorta true anyway—then that aspect should still be true. And he needed a fresh image of Malik's face if he was going to Shadow Travel directly to him.

Egypt in the fake world was much different than the actual country. For one, the sand had a grey-ish tint and everyone, _everyone, _wore turbans.

"Malik" was very surprised and very happy to see Ryou. He and his siblings were very welcoming and opened their house up to Ryou. "Malik" seemed much happier—which was something that Ryou did believe would happen once they got out—about almost hyperactive. After two days of lying low, getting tours of the Cairo, and catching up, Ryou went through with his plan.

"You wanna play a game of Duel Monsters for fun?" Ryou asked at 2:30 A.M. on day three.

"Are you kidding?" "Malik" said. "I haven't played in ages! Of course!"

A few turns passed and Ryou was kicking "Malik's" ass.

"You're lack of playing is showing!" Ryou laughed.

"I know!" "Malik" sighed. "This is really embarrassing."

"Well then," Ryou smirked as he pulled the card he'd been waiting for, "then you're going to be beet red with this move!" In a flurry of shadows and crackle of light, Ryou brought the Dark Door card to life. The door opened and he imagined Malik's face bright and clear in his head. The door folding in on itself and a rip was in place of the door.

"Yes!" Ryou shouted and ran toward the rip. Something caught his ankle and he fell to the ground. He turned over and "Malik" looked confused and mildly angry.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Ryou kicked him away and reached to the hole, grabbing on the rip and pulled himself up. The puzzled face of Malik and a mirror image of himself equally confused looked back at him. It was his friend. His _actual_ friend. He could've cried, but there wasn't enough time.

"MALIK!" he howled, fear and anger in his voice. "That isn't me! We're still in the Shadow Realm! Spirit was right! Azazel tricked us! Help m—" he was cut off when a tanned hand flew over his face and pulled him backwards. He landed with a "thud" and looked up at "Malik" who briefly looked through the portal.

"Ryou," he scolded. "You can't just go and try to shadow travel places!" He looked back at where the rip was, but the portal closed. He sighed and glanced back at Ryou. "Especially someone who is in the middle of a duel! That's just rude!"

Ryou breathed heavily and smiled, glad that now, if Malik hadn't known before, did now, and because his plan, though not a total success, _worked. _"Sorry," he apologized. "I just thought I'd play a trick."

"What was all that yelling about to those two people?" "Malik" asked.

"I said it was a trick," Ryou continued. "I thought I'd scare you. Did it work?"

"Malik" nodded. "Just don't do it again, okay?"

Ryou smiled.

* * *

Okay this chapter ended up being _way _longer than I thought it was going to be because things went in a totally different direction, so I split it up into two different chapters. I'm posting this one now and hopefully the other one should be up either tonight or tomorrow.

For the record, my headcanon is that Ryou's mother worked as an albino model while in college and a bit while Ryou was little until Amane was born.

Also, the hallway between the soul rooms is narrow enough that you can knock on the opposite door while standing in the doorframe.

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	13. Jailbreak Shadows

Here is the "second half" of chapter 12. I couldn't just randomly have a super long chapter in the midst of my normal length chapters. So last chapter was more of an extra! Hooray for excess information!

NOW there are two more chapters left! XD

There is an anime reference in here. Cookies to anyone who knows the anime...

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Jailbreak Shadows**

Bakura, no matter how hard he tried, could not get out of his "soul room," a cheap looking motel room with some gold and rubies in a treasure chest on the table. People could get in—the maid, a pretty girl in her early twenties dressed in a skimpy maid's outfit, cleaned his room three times a week—but he couldn't leave. He tried simply opening the door, using Shadow Magic, anything. All his attempts were relentless. If he looked out the window he could see what "Ryou" was doing—mostly schoolwork and chores—but he couldn't interact with him at all.

"That _bastard!_" Bakura once more threw the lamp across the room, shattering it. It was a good thing the maid was very patient; he'd completely destroyed the room ten times in the past two weeks.

And he was bored out of his _mind. _The television had the weirdest channels: Azazel laughing was channel 1; news channels from America, Japan, France, and England took up channels 2-8; some anime about swimming was on channel 9; channels 10-19 were static, 20 was of an odd looking man with blue hair, grey eyes with red "X's" as pupils, inhumanly long fingers and a little green orb that did whatever the man told him to; and the rest were American shows for children. The swimming anime was too gay, children's shows were always stupid, news often bored Bakura, and the channel of Azazel laughing at his misery made him want to destroy a village.

It didn't help that the only books in the room were the phonebook and the Bible. He knew the reason why the maid was so young, beautiful, and dressed so scantily. He was mildly tempted twice, but he didn't do much but make sure she was super uncomfortable whenever she entered the room. Bakura wasn't a lover, but stealing things wasn't the only thing he did in Egypt. In past host bodies he occasionally went out for fun—clubbing fun, not murder fun—and would take a girl home. With Ryou however, that wasn't an option. He took many things away from his light, but having his light loose his virginity to a stranger was not something he would do.

However, as the independent party that he was right now, he could do whatever he wanted. And as week three rolled around, his boredom became too much. So he stopped creeping out the maid and she soon realized that he was devilishly handsome.

Bakura was no longer bored on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

It had been two and a half months before Bakura grew bored again. The maid that Azazel had given Bakura was very good, but he needed to move on with his plans. Sex with a maid wasn't productive. His patience has been worn thin, and this was coming from the person who waited 5,000 years in the Millennium Ring for revenge.

On the days she wasn't there to "clean," he took his time to strengthen his Shadow Magic. He had a feeling that Azazel could've taken it away if he wanted to, but that would defeat the purpose of making the mirage "real." No one knew what his soul room looked like anyway, and he knew it was a trap from the start. Ah well. Getting out shouldn't be too hard.

So on a Saturday Bakura walked over to the film-covered mirror on the inside of the shabby looking closet door. He stared at his reflection and said, "Zorc."

The mirror didn't shift.

"Zorc." He said again.

The reflective glass remained still.

"Oh for goodness sake," Bakura groaned. "_Zorc __Necrophades__._"

An image briefly flickered in the mirror but it otherwise remained unchanged.

He narrowed his eyes and chanted something in Ancient Egyptian before repeating, "Zorc Necrophades."

Bakura's reflection flickered out twice before it was fully replaced with the human-esque form of Zorc. A look of deep indignation was on his face.

"That took too long," Bakura commented.

"Where are you?" Zorc demanded.

"In a motel," Bakura answered lazily. He swung the mirror around so Zorc could see.

The demon growled. "How did you get there?"

Bakura cocked a white eyebrow. "Have you not figured it out yet? Someone's been scuffing with our connection."

Zorc roared loud and long. Bakura covered his ears and the mirror cracked.

"Warn me next time you do that," he yawped.

"_THOSE TWO IGNORAMOUSES!_" He boomed.

"Wait… two?" Bakura raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Explain."

Zorc didn't notice and had transformed into his typical beat form and was storming around shooting fire at things. Bakura could only see part of his foot. "_ZORC!_" he bellowed.

The demon stopped, and in a ripple of shadows transformed into the human-esque form again. Smoke was still billowing out of his nose, but he heeded Bakura his attention.

"You said two." The Spirit continued. "What two? I only met Azazel."

Zorc's red eyes widened and he slurred out a string of curses in a language Bakura could only faintly follow. "I told them to leave you alone."

"Please," Bakura stressed, his annoyance slipping into his tone. "_Enlighten me._"

After a few more swears and grumbles, Zorc reluctantly told Bakura about Azazel and Murzix, their past together, his meeting with them, everything. He also explained that the thick Shadow Magic, and Murzix's spells; that was the reason that Bakura has a hard time trying to communicative with him at first. He was fuming when he finished.

"And what happened with you and my… colleagues?" the demon inquired.

So then it was Bakura's turn to tell his tale about his dealings with Azazel and how he was in the situation he was in.

"You fell for it?" Zorc barked. "How could you be so ignorant and careless?"

"I knew it was a trap the moment he mentioned it," Bakura offered. "There was nothing I could do to get out of the situation."

Zorc flapped his wings relentlessly and closed his eyes. "I'll deal with those fools in the near future." He growled. "In the meantime, to answer that question I know you will ask, I will assist you. Though it is one of Murzix's spells, it is very sloppy, especially for him. I am sure he did that unbeknownst to Azazel to spite him when you three escape."

"Why would he do that?" Bakura smirked.

"Because none of us work well with other," Zorc admitted, "and Murzix's loathing of Azazel is even greater than my own."

Bakura chuckled.

"Do you have a plan?"

"I do."

"Then we begin." Zorc tapped the mirror on his side and where his clawed finger touched, the mirror spider-webbed and shattered to the ground. He ducked and stepped through the portal, muttering as he wedged his thick torso through the thin mirror. A few minutes of struggling with the tiny mirror, Zorc broke the closet door in half and quickly sealed up the portal.

Bakura watched with a keen eye, mildly surprised that Zorc was keeping with his human-esque form. Deep down, he was also relieved, but that thought didn't even make the forefront of his mind.

Quickly and silently, Zorc surveyed the room before resting his eyes on a picture above the bed. It was a faded photograph of a daisy and Bakura never gave it much thought.

"Your observation skills are superb," Zorc jested.

"Are you using sarcasm?" Bakura sounded impressed. "That's a first."

Zorc gave Bakura a look that could curdle dairy, removed the picture, and pointed to the nail it rested on.

"You're joking."

"That looks like a Murzix… 'Easter egg' I believe is the term," the demon stated. "He is a fan of unnoticed things, but if you look hard enough you'll find them. Azazel prefers things that are hidden and impossible to find, but Murzix would never give him his way. If Azazel asked for a maze, Murzix would give him a 'fun house' instead."

"Brushing up on your modern terms too?" Bakura was trying not to smile. "Look at you getting with the times!"

"_Akefia._" Zorc warned darkly.

Bakura twitched his mouth angrily but let it slide. "How do you activate it?"

"Like this," Zorc conjured a hammer from the shadows and slammed it hard against the nail. The nail went all the way into the wall and the whole mirage shattered like glass before blowing away as shadows. When it cleared, Bakura and Zorc stood in the light grey and blue area that Bakura, Malik, and Ryou were in two months ago.

"That seemed too easy," Bakura commented.

"No," Zorc flapped his wings, "it wasn't. If you looked hard enough you could've found the nail, but your 'maze' was more of a holding cell. It wasn't meant to trick you at all, just keep you still. Azazel probably wanted you convinced you were in the real world as well. Murzix, however, just kept you waiting. He wanted you to be the first one out. You know the shadows. Those two boys do not. They will be harder to help escape."

"I take it you are done assisting me," Bakura observed.

"Yes. I have helped you far more than I wished to. Do not expect my aid in the future. However," Zorc waved his hand and Diabound floated out of a portal, "Diabound will assist you again. He has been cleaned of Azazel's tricks and is fine now. Do not call me again, Bakura," he warned. "I allowed it this time because I knew Murzix and Azazel were up to something."

"I'm flattered you were worried about me," Bakura put his hand on his heart in mock gratitude. "But I had everything under control."

"If you did," Zorc said, "you wouldn't have been in that room for over two months." And he slipped away in the shadows.

"Screw you too," Bakura muttered and turned to his Duel Spirit who was once again joyous to see his master. "Any ideas?"

Diabound pointed up and Bakura followed his finger. Though the shadows where he was standing were light, the ones hovering ten feet above him were very dark and menacing, like storm clouds looming before releasing hell.

Testing the waters, he released a shadow and shot it upward. It collided with the other shadows and torn a small rip, light escaping from the fracture for a moment before sealing again. He nodded to himself and willed the shadows to push him up.

"Diabound," he called. "Card form."

The monster flew up to his master and willed shadows to bend around him, twisting the monstrous form into a card that Bakura plucked from mid-air and slipped into his pocket.

"Now," he grinned deviously, "let's get down to business."

:::^:::

Malik felt beyond stupid that he didn't pick up on the oddities of the world sooner. Two and a half months of mostly being convinced he was back in the real world... Maybe it was wishful thinking. Maybe a part of him wanted it to be real. Maybe he just ignored all the things that were off so he could continue to live contently. Deep down he knew it was a trap, a lie. He just wanted a normal life so badly that he started to believe in the lie until Ryou showed up and snapped him back to his senses.

Ripping from one part of the mirage to another was one task; Malik, a week after Ryou tore through his own illusions, knew that it would be a much bigger project if he was going to escape the trap totally. If Ryou, someone who was just learning how to us his Shadow Magic, could achieve what he did, Malik believed he could rip open the "worlds" separating he and Ryou and even tear the whole maze apart. But he needed to be careful. Since "Ryou" visited, his siblings had been keeping a suspiciously close eye on him. He couldn't go outside without "Ishizu" asking a thousand questions about where he was going. He even noticed that "Odion" would follow him from time to time. Malik knew he was going to have to make his move sooner rather than later, but he how he was going to achieve his goals was proving more difficult than he had anticipated. It took longer than he hoped, but after three days he devised a plan to escape. Now he just had to wait for the right time.

It was nearing three months when Malik was out getting groceries with his "sister." He planned to make his escape the following day but as he glanced out the store window his jaw nearly dropped. There was a sudden change of plans.

"Hey Sis," he said. "I left my wallet in the car, let me go get it."

"I was going to pay for groceries," she said, mild suspicion creeping into her voice.

"I know, but I wanted to help," he added, smiling innocently at her as he started inching backward. "I'll be right back." He turned and ran out without waiting for an answer.

"Don't be long!" "Ishizu" called after him.

The automatic doors slid open and Malik glanced both ways of the sidewalk, looking for the familiar face. He ran to the left, almost crashing into civilians and jumping over a man bending over to tie his shoe. He looked back, hollered a "Sorry!" and just as he turned his head to round the corner, he ran into someone.

"Bloody hell!" the person yelled. "Watch where—"

He turned and Malik, forgetting that he hated this man with all his heart, hugged the Spirit of the Millennium Ring.

"_Bakura!_" He cried. "How the hell did you get here? You are _you_ right?"

Bakura, disgusted by Malik's affections, shoved him off and wiped off the areas that the Egyptian touched. "Don't you _dare _touch me again." He growled. "Yes, I am myself. If you want proof," he procured a card from his pocket and flashed it briefly at Malik, "here it is."

"Your Ka," Malik observed. "I never thought I'd say this, but I am so glad to see you."

Bakura sniffed and rolled his eyes, but imparted, "Likewise," in an uninterested tone.

"How did you get here?" Malik asked. "Ryou was able to rip through the maze to warn me, but—"

"My host was able to break through the mirage?" Bakura's voice was almost incredulous.

Malik nodded and tensed up, looked over his shoulder. "Ishizu" left the store and was searching for him. "Shit. Look, I don't have much time. Since Ryou did that, my 'siblings' have watched me like a hawk. I have a feeling you are going to aid us getting out."

"It's not like I have any other choice," Bakura drawled. "I could leave you here, but that irritating dark of yours needs to go."

"Then we agree on two things," Malik glanced over his shoulder again. "Ishizu" was walking towards the car. "Do you have a plan? She'll probably still recognize you."

Bakura smiled cunningly. "I have an idea."

/…\

Bakura's idea was for him to pass as Ryou, which was much harder for him to do since he actually didn't have access to Ryou's body. He had the mannerisms and voice down to a tee, but his hair was still too wild and his features still too sharp. Malik was a bit worried when the two approached "Ishizu," but she bought it hook, line, and sinker. It wasn't a problem with "Odion" either. Malik told his "siblings" that "Ryou" was in town for a few weeks because his father was on a dig and wanted to bring him. "Ishizu" and "Odion" said it was okay if "Ryou" wanted to crash at their house for a few days while his dad was on site.

"That went better than I imagined," Malik commented as the two entered his bedroom. He closed and locked the door for good measure and hopped over to his bed, sitting cross-legged. "Where have you been?"

Bakura told his story to Malik, starting from when "Ryou" picked up the "Millennium Ring" to how he was trapped in a shabby motel room, the maid—"Azazel gave you a hooker," Malik said in a jaded tone. "Unnecessary information, you asshole."—and how he escaped, excluding the small detail that Zorc was actually the one who assisted him. He finished by explaining how he entered into Malik's own maze: each section of the puzzle was poorly constructed and a strong Shadow User would be able to pierce through it.

"Your turn," he said when he finished.

And Malik retold his adventures, how he reclaimed his body, parting his "friends," and returning to "Egypt," adding in the odd things he noticed and the strange behavior of his "siblings." He ended with his encounter with "Ryou" and Ryou.

"Looks like yadonashi has his head in the game," Bakura stated.

"I was genuinely impressed," Malik said. "I think Ryou wants out the most."

Bakura narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps. But that doesn't matter because we are all getting out of the stupid façade."

"Your plan?"

The Spirit pulled the Diabound card out of his pocket. "Diabound knows where the weak spots are in the maze. He will lead us to them. Are we set to leave tonight?"

There was a brief silence as Malik listened for the door, thinking that someone was listening in, but when he walked over and opened it no one was there. Nodding he said, "No."

Bakura resisted rolling his eyes at the precaution, but understood Malik's actions.

For the next three hours, Malik was gradually reminded that he hated Bakura as they made awkward conversations that soon lead to arguing. When the clock chimed 4:00 A.M., Malik breathed a sigh of relief as they snuck out of his bedroom window of the one-story house.

"'Ishizu' wouldn't let me get a motorcycle," he grumbled as they pushed the '05 Corolla out of the driveway and down the street so the engine wouldn't wake his "siblings." "You think that would've been an indicator for me. Geez, I'm such a dumbass."

"Yes you are," Bakura huffed.

Malik flipped him the bird and his companion returned the favor.

The car ride was awkward but quick because Malik didn't obey traffic laws.

"Where are we headed?" he asked.

Bakura looked down at the card in his hand, Diabound glowing brighter with every mile. "The card will be blindingly bright when we've reached our destination."

"So you don't know."

Bakura's eyes flashed and Malik turned his attention back to the road.

They arrived at the outskirts of Cairo when Diabound glowed an obnoxious LCD white bright. Malik stopped the car and got out. There were houses in the distance in front of them and the city behind. Their current spot was deserted.

"A deserted lot?" Malik looked skeptically at the white haired thief.

"I don't choose the location," he retorted and released Diabound from the card. "Where?"

Diabound flew off to the left, stopping in front of a lone lotus flower growing as a separate party. Bakura smirked and chuckled to himself.

"I don't get it," Malik said. "A lotus flower? Aren't those water plants?"

"That's the point," the chuckling didn't stop. "It's something that goes unnoticed unless you actually look," Bakura bent over and plucked the flower from the ground. Without warning, the ground started to sink like quick sand. Bakura and Malik were dragged down through the ground. Malik thought he was going to die. He was breathing in sand, there was no air, he was suffocating, there was nothing to grab on to, he was sinking, sinking, sinking, dying, dying, dying…

And it was over quickly. The sand swirled into shadows and blew away. He and Bakura were back in the same grey and blue shadowed area from nearly three months prior.

"That was… simple." Malik said blandly. "Shouldn't there have been a great fight or struggle?"

Bakura wasn't listening. He was looking up, his brow furrowed in concentration and frustration. Malik turned his head upward and grimaced. The shadows hanging above their head were thick and deadly, like poison gas and toxic waste morphed together. Dark shadows dripped down in globs and slithered away.

Getting Ryou out wasn't going to be as easy as it appeared to be.

The shadows suddenly changed though, trying to cling together, to the "ceiling" but falling in heavy drops. They quickened, moving like two restless seas fighting each other; a crack of light ripped open in the middle of the mass, the shadows trying to close it but falling to the ground. A hand reached out of the crack and released a large and powerful shadow. The shadow arched back and pierced the mass of shadows, a large fissure starting to form from the impact. Another shadow ripped out of the crack with such a force, the tiding shadows cracked in half. Slowly the shadows began to melt away and the hand disappeared. Without warning, a body fell from the crack and landed lightly in front of Malik and Bakura. Ryou looked up and grinned a small and slightly guilty smile.

"Er… hi." He said lamely.

Both Malik and Bakura were slack jawed.

"_Ryou?!_" Malik didn't even try to mask his shock. "How—?" He left his question hanging and looked back up. The dark shadows were completely gone. The maze was no more.

Leaving out his encounter with Bakura in his soul room—he'd find out anyway, and Ryou dreaded telling him sooner—he recalled his adventures from when he first found himself on the blimp to when he tried to shadow travel to Malik.

"After that I secretly started strengthening my Shadow Magic," Ryou was a bit sheepish. "I figured that if I was able to connect with the shadows then they'd be able to lead me out. Something in my flat always seemed off and after learning to tune in to the shadows; I realized it wasn't my flat per say, but the Millennium Ring imitation." He avoided Bakura's eye when he spoke next. "I tried to activate its power, but instead it just ripped a hole in the mirage. I forced my way out and... here I am."

Malik's expression read "dumb fascination." "Ryou… I don't think you realize how powerful of a Shadow User you are."

Ryou blinked. "Really? I was just doing what felt… natural. It's exciting in a way! It's all brand new and…" he trailed off as his eyes travelled to his dark's face. Bakura was dangerously calm, but he was radiating a dangerous aura in great pulses.

"Ryou, I am seriously impressed you escaped," Malik rubbed the back of his head a bit embarrassed. "You figured things out far quicker than me."

Ryou laughed lightly. "It just felt wrong and I wanted out."

Malik opened his mouth to reply, but a blood-curling scream escaped his lips instead. Shadows, tentacle-like and menacing, wrapped themselves around his legs and arms, ripping his flesh. Ryou quickly shot a shadow from his hand, but one of the tentacles parried his strike. Bakura, unmoving, summoned shadows around his feet and drove them toward the other shadows, but his attempts were also useless. A shadow wrapped itself around Malik's mouth and voices echoed around them.

"_This is between you and me!" _The pharaoh's voice was urgent, almost pleading. _"Leave Yugi out of this!"_

"_That's what you think, pharaoh," _Marik cackled loudly and the shadows pulled Malik under. _"You're forgetting about my lovely, little weaker half."_

The voices faded and Ryou and Bakura stood, breathing heavily.

"The Shadow Duel begins," Bakura finally said.

"Marik must be using Yugi and Malik as bargaining chips," Ryou observed. "What do we do now?"

Bakura breathed slowly. "We wait." He turned to his light and folded his arms. "As we wait," a shadow crossed his face, "I have a few questions for you."

:::^:::

Azazel stormed into Murzix's castle, throwing shadows at the obstacles set up to prevent intruders. He wasn't going to sneak into his castle, not this time. He came guns blazing, shadows angrily slithering around him and erupting from his feet with every step he took. He reached Murzix's study and threw open the doors.

"Yes?" Murzix didn't look up from his cauldron, continuing to stir the red concoction he was cooking.

"_Why the fucking _hell _did you purposefully make a damaged spell?!_" Azazel spat, still standing in the threshold.

"I don't know what you mean," the magician's tone was bored. "And don't use such coarse language. You sound uncouth."

"Oh, you most certainly do," the shadow stormed over and grabbed Murzix's shoulder, forcing the magician around to face him. "The _maze._"

"I did what you asked me to," Murzix said, brushing Azazel's hand off his shoulder. "Don't touch me."

"I will touch you if I damn well please," the white's in Azazel's eyes were replaced with red and he grabbed the black lapels of Murzix's trench coat and forced the magician down to his height so he could look him in the eye. "You botched the maze."

"Whatever do you mean? You asked for a maze and I gave you one."

"No you didn't. You half-assed it. _You. _You _never _purposefully ruin a potion. That goes against your code. Why the _fuck _did you ruin this one when it was so important to me?!"

Murzix blinked at Azazel before a smile suddenly broke through his placid expression. "Don't you see Azazel? The moment you stepped foot in my castle I wasn't going to follow through with any plan that you had. If you told me to create a love potion, I'd make it so that the drinker would never leave you. You told me to create a maze. I made a fun house. Three different layers with their own quirks and faults. I made it imperfect to _spite _you. You want to keep them here, so naturally I want to let them go. I _hate _you, Azazel. I always have. I just humor you for my entertainment because you _are so easily manipulated._"

Azazel's eyes were wide with shock the entire time Murzix spoke. Without warning he lashed out, shoving Murzix aside and overturning the cauldron, shooting shadows everywhere, breaking furniture, flasks full of potions and spells, cracking walls, and creating havoc. He transformed into his full shadow form and ripped through the castle, trying to tear it down brick by brick; he screamed in frustration and ire as he tore the place apart.

Murzix's smile widened and he cackled loudly over Azazel's screaming as he watched his house turn to rubble. "You are a _child, _Azazel!" He called between giggles. "A child," his smile was gone, his hair caught fire with anger, and he threw out his hand, a pulse escaping his palm and stopping everything in mid air. The shadows froze on spot. He slowly and leisurely strolled through the carnage, finding Azazel immobile in his bedroom. "A child who needs to be taught a lesson." He closed his palm and all sucked all the shadows into his hand, stripping Azazel of his shadow form. "I helped bring life to your shadows," he leaned in to Azazel's face and whispered, "and I can take it _back._" He snapped and the shadow dropped to the floor. Murzix turned and started walking away. Azazel cried out to him.

"What," he breathed heavily, "did you do?"

The magician stopped. "I just disanimated all your shadows," Murzix said simply, not turning to answer.

"Y-you can't do that!" Azazel protested, a small whine slipping into his voice.

"I can," Murzix turned so he could see the shadow out of the corner of his eye, "because I _animated_ you. My first perfect and successful animation from millions of years ago. And then you went and rebelled against me. You were _too _perfect. I created a whole new Egyptian god, the god of shadows. No one, not even you, ever knew of what you are. Shadow demon, yes. Egyptian god of shadows, yes. Creator of the Shadow Realm, yes. You are completely free in every sense of the word to speak, think, and act; you are a one of a kind being. But first and foremost, you are animated shadows that I created."

Azazel's mouth was slightly open, his eyes wide, disbelief and shock registering on his face. He tried to speak, but nothing came out.

"You will regain your powers in the future," the magician imparted. "But for now," Murzix turned fully and smiled at the broken shadow sitting shattered on the floor, "you will remain but a _simple shadow._" He snapped his fingers and Wioque flew into the room and hurriedly started cleaning.

Azazel remained on the floor for a time before retreating to the deep pits of the Shadow Realm. He no longer cast a shadow, but was a shadow cast aside.

* * *

PLOT. TWIST. *evil laugh*

Did any of you guys get my anime reference? It was very small. Cookies to anyone who spotted it...

This is more along the lines of how I wanted the last chapter to go, but that obviously didn't happen. Back on track now! TWO MORE CHAPTERS!

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	14. Duels

FUN FACT.

A duel takes approx. half an hour up to one hour. I know this because I dueled a friend before. We all know that the reasons the duels take EIGHT FRIGGING YEARS in the anime is because of money even though we all know the manga didn't focus on the stupid card game but the characters. You know, like MOST NORMAL THINGS.

In this duel I feel it takes roughly forty-five minutes for the whole thing to pan out. I mean the full duel is FIVE FUCKING EPISODES. That's two and a half hours. We all know pro(?) duels wouldn't last that long because they are too good for each other.

Anyway, enough ranting. I do hope you read my author's notes because there is important info in them.

There is a poll going on in my profile if people would be interested if I wrote some one-shots about Malik and Ryou in the Shadow Realm during TAC. Please go vote!

One more chapter~

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO.

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Duels**

It was like he was living in a dream.

Where was he? Last thing he remembered… Wait… What _was _the last thing that happened? Everything was foggy. But there was a face? Yes, a face in the distance. …Ryou Bakura? What did Ryou have to do with anything?

And like a strike of lightening, all of Malik's memories flooded back.

The duel. He a lost soul in the Shadow Realm. Shadow Breathers. Duel Spirits. Ryou, his constant companion who stuck with him through it all. His best friend. There was also Bakura who was helpful and hurtful. And Azazel, that shadow demon claiming to be the creator of the Shadow Realm. That trick to get them into the "real" world and getting out.

…Where was he now?

Voices floated in and out, echoing around him, whispering in his ear. There were shouts of protest and maniacal, chilling laughs. Everything was black. And Malik had never felt weaker in his life. He was barley conscious of his body… Where were his hands, feet, and legs? He tried moving his appendages but came up empty. Another disembodied laugh floated around… _where was he?_

Something tight and misty tightened around his wrists and ankles. Ah, so there was his body… but why did it feel so… light? Wait… where did his wrists go? And ankles? He tried to move again but found his body missing. Was he just a consciousness now? Everything was black too… what…?

"_It's nice to see he's getting repaid by his exalted king!"_

Malik felt a chill as everything dropped ten degrees cooler by the voice of his darker half. What was _he _doing here? And where was "here"?

"_There's got to be a way to save Malik!"_

Yugi's hopeful voice suddenly interrupted the laughter. He was missing bits and pieces of the full conversation…

"_Your move, pharaoh."_

…A duel? Malik was in a duel? A duel against… Yugi and Marik? No, that can't be right. The pharaoh would've taken over for him… Malik tried to open his eyes, but couldn't locate them. _What was happening?_

_Soon the shadows will consume him, _a thought that was not his own voiced, _and _I _will be king._

Like another bolt of lightening, Malik suddenly became aware of his body… or lack there of. He felt his wrists and ankles… and half his face… and part of his torso… He groaned softly and lazily lifted open his eyelid. His dark was below him, laughing away and internally monologuing. The pharaoh was across the duel arena, sweating and a fierce determination on his face. Yugi… hung by shadows above him… but he was missing some of his arms and legs.

_Ahhh, _Malik thought, realization and reason finally kicking in, _I am part of a duel. I am a _bargaining chip _in a duel. _He sluggishly looked back down at his darker half. _You fucking bastard. _He thought viciously.

And then a thought, slow and sure, crossed his mind.

His beloved brother sacrificed everything for him. Maybe…

With sheer willpower Malik astral projected himself next to Odion's bed. He was unconscious, but his strong face was peaceful. Malik sighed and sat on a stool next to the bed.

"Hey Odion," he said lamely.

His brother breathed evenly but obviously said nothing.

Malik's voice was quiet. "I tried finding a way out of the Shadow Realm. I did it for you, Ishizu… for Dad." He swallowed thickly. "But I feel… I'm not going to win this. I'm just a puppet now. None of us expected this to happen but," a chuckle, "none of us can predict my dark side. Not even me.

"I just wanted to say… I'm sorry. You did nothing but protect me. You were the reason why my dark side stayed dormant for all those years. And I repaid you with disrespect… anger… hatred at times. I… I wish I could take it all back. I wish that my darker half didn't exist and you, Ishizu, and me lived on the surface, happy and free. I wish I didn't resent the pharaoh. I wish that everything was normal again." Malik squeezed his eye shut and exhaled. "It was never normal to start with though. Besides… it's too late. That being I created, who once I even viewed as a friend, now threatens to destroy me. That evil that I created out of resentment and anger…" Malik trailed off. "I feel I will never leave the Shadow Realm. M…" he hesitated, "…Marik… will kill Yugi once the duel is done. He'll send the pharaoh in the Shadow Realm and take the Millennium Puzzle for himself. And after that…" Malik shuttered. "I know what he wants to do, but I refuse to repeat it."

He paused and looked out the window up the duel tower. A dark haze, intimidating and daunting, loomed around the top: a Shadow Realm entrance. Malik spoke, but didn't quite yet turn. "You've been there my entire life. When I received the Tomb Keepers Initiation… when I killed Father… when my darker half was born… You have been loyal to me, to everyone. Even to Father when he didn't accept you. Even when I ran away, you accompanied me and helped me with my dark purposes without hesitating." He turned back to his brother, a tear caught in his eye. "Only now do I understand." Malik felt the shadows started to pull him back. He blinked and the tear released, sliding down his cheek. "I will never be able to repay you…" his voice caught and another tear fell from his eye. "I'm sorry."

Shadows whirled around him and his brother vanished from sight.

:::^:::

In the silence after Malik disappeared, Ryou watched his dark with nervous anticipation. Though Bakura said he wanted to ask Ryou some questions, he hadn't yet and was pacing around slowly, looking at shadows and avoiding his light. He thought hard about it, but Ryou had no idea what his dark wanted to talk about. He wasn't too keen on talking with him anyway. A sudden light dawned on him; he was _alone _with his darker half. Bakura could do virtually anything to Ryou and no one could stop him…

_No, stay positive, _Ryou thought, _He won't touch you. He never has before…_

Of course, Bakura was never a physical being before either.

Ryou tried to busy himself, shuffling through his deck to keep his mind off things.

"Yadonashi."

Ryou froze, his hands tightly gripping his deck. He didn't look up. He heard Bakura's footsteps stop in front of him. Slowly, Ryou pocketed the cards and looked up. Bakura's face was unreadable, but his Shadow Aura pulsed around him in threatening waves.

"You know the Shadow Realm is a very dangerous place," he started. "Those who aren't accustomed to Shadow Magic become slaves."

The Brit remained silent, but watched the Spirit.

"There are those," he narrowed his eyes, "who are born with the skills of the shadows. Others can learn through time." He took at few steps forward, closing in the little bit of space between them. "How is it that _you _are able to control the shadows?"

Ryou swallowed his fear and dared to say, "I don't know. But you are the one who chose me, aren't you? You wouldn't have stuck with someone this long unless they had some sort of connection to the Shadow Realm."

Bakura inhaled sharply, like what Ryou said struck a chord. He stepped back, and glared at his host. "You are the perceptive one, aren't you?"

"I've never not been."

A bark of laughter escaped Bakura's lips, a sound cold and demeaning. He deliberately circled Ryou with slow concentration. "Look at you. All poised and assertive. All grown up. Where did this confidence come from?" He laughed again. "Don't tell me that Tomb Keeper had anything to do with it."

The tight hand of fear gripped at Ryou and he stayed silent.

"Oh, he did, didn't he?" Bakura's voice was mocking now. "I'll have to do something about that."

"How?" Ryou asked suddenly. "When? Malik's gone. We're stranded now. Do what you want, I don't care. Any plans you had have been foiled."

"That's where you are wrong, yadonashi," the Spirit said deadly calm. "The pharaoh would never allow for his friends to be banished to the Shadow Realm. Think of all those lovely people he's trying to save. Mai… Odion… Malik… _You. _We're a package deal. We'll get out."

Ryou crossed his arms and bit the inside of his cheek.

"You said that you strengthened your Shadow Magic," the dark started.

Those words chilled Ryou to the bone. He knew what was coming. He dreaded this from the moment he reunited with them. He knew the Spirit. He knew what he wanted before the words formed on his lips.

"Show me."

Ryou looked at him dead in the eye. "No."

"What did you say?"

His confidence grew a little bit. "No."

Bakura frowned hard, a dark glint in his red eyes. "Why not?"

And so Ryou said something he wanted to say for years. "Because I don't want to."

The Spirit licked his lips and smiled a meaningless grin. "Defiance. He taught you defiance. That Tomb Keeper will pay. However," and Bakura's Shadow Aura erupted, shadows slithering around him, "I'll _make _you show me." He flung a shadow in Ryou's direction.

Ryou dodged, trying to keep his own Shadow Aura in check. Since he'd been strengthening his magic, it had grown in size and darkened quite astonishingly. But he didn't want the Spirit to know how much his Shadow Magic had grown; he didn't know how long he's be able to use the shadows and maybe if he strengthened it enough he'd be able to overpower Bakura and lock _him _in his soul room…

But he had a feeling the Spirit knew exactly that. So he changed his mind about hiding and let his shadows go, his Shadow Aura tripling in size and darkening, shadows menacingly hovering around him. He breathed and stood strong, facing his dark.

Bakura smiled menacingly. "Look at that. Yadonashi finally grew a pair of balls."

Ryou returned his comment with a whiplash of shadows. Bakura easily deflected them.

"You have to try harder than that," his dark was smiling his token smirk. "Especially if you want to overpower me."

So he _did _know. Ryou narrowed his eyes. "Fine." He whipped out his deck and summoned Dark Necrofear. She turned and gave him an are-you-really-having-me-fight-him-you-know-I-am-h is-favorite-card-you-idiot look. Ryou gave her an I-know-but-you-were-my-card-first-can-you-please-d o-this-for-me look and she sighed but zipped forward.

"Dark Necrofear, I'm mildly offended. I swear you liked me better," Bakura mocked offense, but flipped a card out his back pocket. "Two can play at this game." In a burst of shadows Diabound was on the defense. He easily knocked aside Dark Necrofear and she disappeared into the mist.

Ryou grabbed another card, but a shadow slinked around his deck and swept it away. He looked over at his dark. Bakura licked a finger and flipped through the deck, taking his time to choose his card carefully.

"That," Ryou's Shadow Aura pulsed angrily, "is my deck!" He flipped a shadow toward the cards but Bakura flicked it away lazily.

"Even with all that practice," Bakura lashed a group of shadows toward his host. They wrapped themselves around him and lifted him into the air, bringing him toward Bakura. "It was relentless. I guess you aren't as strong as I thought you were." He leisurely walked up and got in his host's face. "Don't you _dare _try to pull that again."

Ryou's anger and hatred were swiftly replaced with fear and regret. What had he done? Now the Spirit was going to punish him severely…

_No, _a voice in the back of Ryou's head whispered. _He has done enough. This is your turn to give him a taste of his own medicine. _

An uncontrollable force took control of Ryou's body and he blacked out.

:::^:::

Malik was only able to catch snippets of the duel. He was so drained and weak… Projecting his spirit to his brother didn't help with that ordeal. He was starting to hear his dark's thoughts again and preferred it when he couldn't. Only a third of them were about the duel; rape, murder, blood, and other heinous crimes toward Yugi and his friends took up the rest of Marik's thoughts. Malik felt sick.

He didn't hear his dark speak, but Metal Reflect Slime appeared on the stadium and Malik racked his brain trying to remember if that card was in his original deck. Coming up empty, he concluded that his dark must have made a brand new deck… Partially to stray from Malik and partially to cause more pain in a duel. He tried to move his head, but that darkness from earlier overcame him and he slipped back into the dark, coma-like state, unaware of his surroundings and body. The voices of the pharaoh and his dark echoed in his ears. He tried to speak but no words came out. Malik felt helpless. Yes, he was going to stay trapped in the Shadow Realm forever…

"…_Revival Jam…"_

_Oh, that card, _Malik thought lazily. _That one is in my original deck. Must be too good to get rid of. _He smirked.

In his mind he saw through his dark's eyes for a moment as he placed Polymerization and the field and merged together Revival Jam and Metal Reflect Slime, making the Obelisk imposter impossible to destroy.

_Damn, _Malik admitted, _that's good._

And he was back in the Shadow Duel again as his consciousness and soul flipped between the real world and Shadow Realm and… a limbo state. He felt useless and pathetic, hanging by tendrils of shadows. But by the looks of things, everything was going downhill for him.

"Even if you _could _attack me," Marik bragged, interrupting Malik's thoughts, "my lovely little light pays the price." His voice changed, a darker edge to it. "You see, I've wanted to rid of him for so very long. And now I can finally banish him and _keep him banished _to the shadows. So please, feel free to do that for me, pharaoh." He laughed cheerlessly. "As you can see, most of him has been consumed by the shadows. It won't be long until that leech of mine is finally all gone."

Wait a minute. Leech? _Malik _was a _leech? _If anything, _Marik _was the one who leeched off him! That bastard!

_Please pharaoh, _Malik prayed fervently and silently, _defeat him at all costs._

:::^:::

Bakura hesitated when he saw his light's eyes roll to the back of his head, his body relaxing and growing limp. Without warning, shadows exploded from Ryou, wrapped themselves around Bakura and Diabound, and lifted them into the air much like when Ryou's Shadow Magic was first released.

Ryou's eyes snapped open and his irises were once again as black as the shadows twisting their way around his body.

"Oh," Bakura said in a unruffled tone, "you again."

"You do not understand this boy's power," Ryou's voice spoke; it tripled with deep and high-pitched tones. "He could tear this realm apart if he so wished."

"That's likely," the Spirit responded. His eyes flickered to Diabound. His Ka was immobile with a fear he had never seen in anyone's eyes before, whether it be one of his victims or an opponent in Duel Monsters. This horror was deep-rooted, like facing a greatest fear ten times over. An icy cold chill ran down Bakura's spine. He glanced back at his host. Ryou's face was hooded and unreadable, but his Shadow Aura was dark, thick, and black; it dripped globs of dark shadows. The shadows wrapped around Bakura tightened and he struggled for air.

"It you think that this boy is weak," Ryou's head snapped up and his face was skewed in a horrifying look of anger, determination, and mad passion. "Then you are misguided." A large pulse of shadow ripped from Ryou, the Shadow Realm shuttering as a whole and even ripping, and streams of light from the real world leaking in before the shadows closed again.

"Is he aware of his power?" Bakura asked as he gasped for air and tried to burrow any fear that threatened to show from the immense power his light revealed.

"No," the Brit's voice intoned, motioning the shadow holding Bakura to come forward so they could speak face to face. "He never will. It would take years for this boy to unlock his true potential. Only we, the shadows, are aware of his power. No human with this great amount would be able to control it. Not the pharaoh, not the Egyptian boy, not you."

Bakura bit his retort, but asked, "How are you released? Are you different than his Shadow Magic?"

"In a way," Ryou's voice droned vaguely. "This boy has the unique ability to not only conjure Shadow Magic, but physical shadows as well."

"Like Azazel?"

"Not as powerful as he, but yes."

"He is not aware of this?"

"No, and he never will be."

"Why are you telling me?"

"What will you do with this information?" Ryou's voice changed to a mocking tone, "It does not benefit you. How will knowing this information about this boy help you in your ploy? We know you will seal up his magic again once you reenter the physical world."

"Why are you telling me?" Bakura repeated.

Ryou smiled a terrible and evil grin that looked almost wrong on his face. "Because shadows have a sense of humor." He released Bakura and he dropped to the ground, sucking in air hard as he tried to regain his breath.

"Now," Ryou's voice said, the horrible smile still on his face. A shadow slithered out of his hand and slipped into Bakura's back pocket, obtaining the stolen deck and returning it to it's original owner. "You said you wanted to see his strengthened Shadow Magic." The smile widened. "Let us test your strength as well."

:::^:::

Time moved in slow motion. His dark laughed at almost every move, a little too giddy about his game of despair. He heard Yugi's cries when he lost life points and swore almost every curse he could think of. Yet he couldn't do anything but hang uselessly.

_Ishizu would be disappointed in me if she could read my thoughts, _he thought and lethargically lifted his eye to glance at his sister. She was horror struck at the duel and he cast his gaze down, not before noticing Anzu out of the corner of his eye.

There was another idea.

With the very last of his strength, Malik once more took control of her body. However once he gained control he hissed out in pain, the Shadow Magic used to take over her mind wearing him thinner. Jou, Duke, and Honda turned to look at him.

"You okay, Anzu?" Jou asked.

"Please," Malik begged, holding his hand up to the others and turning to the pharaoh. "Pharaoh," he cried. "You must defeat him. Don't worry about me, I'll be okay. You have to conquer my dark side at all costs, even if it costs me my life."

Jou staggered over and shook Malik-Anzu by the shoulders. "Anz, you're talking nonsense. What the hell do you mean?"

"Jou, there's no time," Malik brushed him off. "I'm Malik. I briefly took control of Anzu's body. I can't explain further because I have so little time." He turned back to the pharaoh. "Destroy him. Rid that disease of this earth. Please, pharaoh, I'm begging you." He took a gasp of breath as he felt the shadows pulling him back, but he held on.

"'Disease?'" Marik faked a hurt expression. "Do you really view me as such? That hurts my feelings."

Malik ignored him and continued addressing the pharaoh. "I am so sorry. My family was tasked with protecting your tomb until you returned. But I resented this great honor and in the end started hating you." He lifted a finger and pointed at his darker half, scowling at Marik. "In my hatred I created him. My pharaoh you must be rid of him. My punishment is for me to die as well."

A burst of laughed caused all heads to turn to Marik. "Oh, aren't you just a ray of sunshine," he cackled. "You resented the pharaoh your whole life and now suddenly he's your high exalted king? My, my hikari you defiantly have your priorities straight." He stopped laughing, but his insane smile stayed plastered across his lips. "You beg for forgiveness at this point? It's a little late for that, little light."

Malik's sight flickered from Anzu back to hanging above his dark as a flash of rage blinded his control.

"I'm already here," Marik bowed derisively. "And now this body is mine. You hardly even exist. Just look," he gestured to the hanging bits of Malik above his head. "I don't plan on leaving." He added, a dark shadow crossing over his face, his leer widening ever the slightest. "And I plan on finishing what we started."

Malik glared at his dark as Jou, Duke, and Honda fussed over him, trying to figure out a way to get Anzu back. He opened his mouth to speak but his sister interposed.

"Malik," she cried and rushed over. "What happened to our talk? I thought you were going to fight!"

"It's been a hell of a fight," Malik said tiredly. "See." He pointed to his fading body. "We tried finding a way out, Sis. Honestly. I don't think any of us expected _this _to happen."

"No," she admitted. "But you don't have to sacrifice yourself! Please, don't do this. Keep fighting."

"I'm sorry, Ishizu," Malik's voice sounded defeated and he let his head drop. "But there isn't another way. I don't see any other way out of this."

Ishizu's eyes swarmed with tears and she turned away.

Malik looked back at the pharaoh. "Destroy him. You must rid of this evil! If that means abolishing me, so be it."

"Isn't that poetic," Marik drawled, picking at his ear with indifference. "Malik-dear would rather die than see the victory he longed for so very long ago. However, his efforts are just a waste of time." He turned to Malik. "You shouldn't have tried. You wasted Shadow Magic and just made yourself weaker. You're pathetic."

It took some effort, but Malik resisted flipping off his darker half.

The three boys were making observations about the duel when Jou suddenly rounded Malik. "Do you even have a good side?"

Malik blinked at him. "Technically everyone has both good and bad sides—"

Ishizu hit his shoulder and he smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"Malik, this is a serious situation!" she chastised.

"I know, I know," he waved at her and turned back to the blond. "Yes. I am the good side."

Jou narrowed his eyes. "I have a hard time believing that. After all this is all your fault!"

"Jou!" Ishizu cried. "Stop it."

"No," Malik interrupted. "He's right and you know it. He has a right to be angry with me. All I've done is cause them grief, and that was before my dark was released."

"You got that right," Jou said hostility. "You'd be nuts to think we'd trust you. We know your so-called 'dark half' is just after the Millennium Items."

"Wait, you think he just wants them?" Malik gasped, stunned. "He's out for blood. The Millennium Items are just spoils of war. If you believe that fight was over the seven Items, you are mistaken. I left the life of a Tomb Keeper because of my hatred of the pharaoh, not because I coveted the Millennium Items. I wanted to _kill him. _I no longer wish this, but my dark is hell bent on doing so. He'd banish Yugi to the Shadow Realm and kill the pharaoh. That's the root of his creation. And once that goal is achieved…" he trailed off.

The group looked aghast at his statement. Marik stopped paying attention since Malik was just giving out information he already knew. Jou balled up his fist.

"Get out of my friend you asshole."

Malik dropped his gaze. "Fine. I thought I'd tell the pharaoh to defeat my dark half at all costs through Anzu since _I _am not able to."

"Haven't you done enough?" Jou protested. "Leave the rest of us out of this. We have a hard time dealing with two Yugis and two Ryous, we don't need any more doubles. And trying to figure out what the hell 'Shadow Magic' is…" he trailed off and frowned at Malik. "If it wasn't for you we wouldn't be in this mess."

"I know," Malik agreed sadly, "and for that I am truly sorry. But there has to be a way to defeat my dark. I just hope he finds it." With that, he relinquished Anzu from his control.

:::^:::

This fight with Ryou was much different than the one from earlier. For one, Bakura was having his ass handed to him. Second, Ryou didn't even need to be physically holding his cards to summon a monster. Third, these shadows Ryou was using were far different from anything Bakura's ever seen in his five thousand years.

A small portion of Bakura liked this idea of being beaten by his host, even though Ryou was unaware that he was doing so. It gave him a feel of what he put Ryou through… and the Spirit was the slightest bit masochistic. It wasn't that he physically hurt Ryou—one wouldn't intentionally ruin their home, would they—but more emotionally, mentally, and psychologically scarred him.

Shadows swarmed Bakura, breaking his train of thought, and he thrust his hand outward, a stream of shadows bursting from his palm and colliding with the oncoming mass. However, Ryou sent a second rally unbeknownst to Bakura and he was sent flying backwards.

"Do you understand now," Ryou's voice asked, tilting his head as he sent spider-like shadows to wrap up Bakura in a web, "this boy's power? He could bend the Shadow Realm to his will, make Duel Spirits bow, and vanquish Shadow Breathers like that," he snapped.

Bakura grinned his trademark smirk, smoothly hiding his ire. "Are we finished here? I wanted to ask my host questions, not a bunch of shadows possessing his body."

"Said the pot to the kettle," Ryou's voice giggled. "Alas, we can not be here much longer. If we remain too long, we will tear this poor human boy apart. And we know that the parasite who resides in him can not have that."

Bakura said nothing, but glowered at him.

"Bakura," Ryou's voice said. "You must not tell him of this encounter or of our existence in his soul room."

"Why is that?" he crooned. "Why should I listen to you?"

"This boy is delicate," the Brit's voice continued, "and his knowledge of his power would shatter him. He is a curious boy. He would try to experiment and the results would be catastrophic. The reason you should listen to us," his voice took a turn to the dark, "is because we will rip you apart otherwise."

"Threatening me then," Bakura drawled. "And what if I don't care?"

"You are in no place to make retorts."

"Fair." Bakura shrugged, or attempted to with the shadow restraints. "Deal."

Ryou snapped, Bakura dropped, and for the second time that day Ryou fainted.

:::^:::

Painful memories flashed across Malik's mind. He knew the pharaoh would be hesitant to attack his darker half because in turn it would hurt him, but that was the only way to defeat him. He sent his Rare Hunters after him, kidnapped his friends and even threatened their lives, but the pharaoh was still worried about saving Malik.

He had a very just and forgiving king.

Malik was unworthy.

The duel proceeded and Malik lost interest. No need to pay attention when he was just going back to the Shadow Realm…

And then Ra was summoned to the field and Marik was transferring his life points—_And merging his body, _thought Malik, _that's fucking creepy._—with the god, leaving only one life point left. He then transferred the other monsters points to Ra, giving the god almost seven thousand attack points.

_I'm done for, _Malik thought hopelessly.

"I activate Soul Taker!"

Malik's eye widened. _What?_

"I choose to sacrifice your god Slime!"

Malik would've smiled if he had a mouth still. _Smart move, pharaoh. I see your game._

Marik was lost. "Why did you choose him? That won't save you!"

"Two monsters," the pharaoh explained. "Two sacrifices are all it takes to activate Obelisk's hidden power, making his attack points infinite."

"Y-you can't do that!" Malik spluttered.

"I'm afraid I just did."

Malik could hardly see, but he felt the power of Obelisk as he aimed his attack. This was it. He was going to be free once—

Hideous laughter interrupted his thoughts as the smoke cleared.

"I activated Class System to protect me." He cackled. "Unfortunately, Obelisk has less stars than Ra, so your attack failed."

And Malik flipped into a state of limbo again, drowning in self-pity and loathing.

* * *

Okay, not a very nice place to end it, but this chapter was getting lengthy and I still need content for the next AND FINAL chapter, which hopefully won't be dreadfully long.

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


	15. Judgement Day

Well guys, this is it.

I can't believe I'm finishing my first chapter story! This is so exciting! I want to thank _everyone _from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me as this story went through some weird and crazy times. And thanks to all the new people who discovered it when it went through the re-vamp! You guys are honestly wonderful.

Two notes: All my info about how a court system works is from watching _Law and Order: SVU. _And keep in mind Ryou goes to school in Japan. High school is only three years, freshman (grade 10), junior (grade 11), and senior (grade 12).

I still have the poll about whether I should write Ryou and Malik one-shots during _TAC! _Please go vote! I wanna know people are interested!

Without further ado, I present the last chapter of _Three's A Crowd._

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, but I do take claim over all my Shadow Realm things I added in and Azazel, Murzix, and Wioqu.

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Judgment Day**

A voice, almost above a whisper jarred him from his limbo.

"Master Malik!"

_No. _It couldn't be… could it?

"I shall protect you!

Malik's eye focused and his awareness of the world became sharp and clear. His gaze trailed across the stadium to the stairs where Odion, breathless, weak, and pale, stood clutching the side of the wall.

Marik's voice echoed around in his head, curses and threats aimed toward his brother. Malik pushed them aside and looked at his brother, aghast. He heard him. He heard his pleas, his asking for forgiveness. Odion's spirit and will to protect Malik must've been so great he awoke from his coma.

"Please… don't give up," Odion pleaded in between breaths. "There is still time!"

"Bull," countered Marik. "Our insignificant little duel is almost complete. It's too late."

But Malik felt a small fear in his head coming from Marik. He knew since his creation Marik never liked or trusted Odion, but as a child he never understood why. Once he started travelling around, Marik's dislike of him waned a bit, and Malik started realizing why his dark hated his brother. It was here during the duel that Malik got the full explanation of why Marik hated Odion.

"You have no business being here," Marik continued in an angry tone. "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

"Let him speak," the pharaoh glared at Marik who returned the look with equal menace before shrugging and looking away.

Odion tentatively let go of the wall and staggered forward. Ishizu rushed over and supported him, helping him walk closer to the dueling platform. He nodded at her to let him walk by himself and she cautiously let go.

"Be careful," she said as he started walking over to Marik's side.

"We were getting along fine without you," Marik piped up, eyeing Odion from the corner of his eye. "But you continue to insist on getting in my way." He laughed. "Just look at you! You are hardly able to walk! What makes you think you can make a difference in a duel that was predetermined by fate? Maybe you'll be able to stand a few moments longer to watch me crush the pharaoh." His gaze flipped up to Malik and he felt the burning glare of his dark. "And the destruction of your precious brother."

Odion continued forward, almost falling a few times and breathing heavily during his entire trek to the opposite side of the platform. "Release my master now," He put force behind his voice, but it was just barely above an indoor voice.

"Your 'master' is nothing," Marik gestured to the floating bit of Malik's head, the only thing remaining in the physical world. "The shadows will soon consume him and he will remain in the Shadow Realm forevermore. You're too late. I will gladly substitute being your new brother." He cackled menacingly at Odion. "Little Malik-dear could hardly hold me back in your duel. What makes you think he can now?"

"Because I know my brother," Odion said. "Malik never gives up without a fight and continues kicking even when he's already defeated." He looked over at Malik as he said this, indicating that he heard Malik when he talked to him. Malik's eye widened, understanding that Odion was well aware of why Marik hated him so much. "I'm here to ensure that he prevails."

Marik's eyes widened and he whipped the Millennium Rod out of his back pocket, pointing it at Odion. "That's enough!" The Eye on the Rod glowed and Odion was thrown back against a pillar.

"Odion!" Ishizu cried and rushed over to her brother. He waved her away and slowly got up.

"Master Malik," he said, directing his attention to Malik and staggering forward. "Fight your dark side. We've conquered him before and I know you can do it again."

"_Silence!_" Marik shouted and Odion was thrown back again against the guardrail. "I told you that was _enough._"

Ishizu once more tried to help her brother, but he pushed her away. "I'm fine, Ishizu." His steps were rocky, but he was able to get to the side of the platform again. "Please, Malik. You have the power to stop your dark side. You were the one who created him. You have the power to destroy him."

Watching this encounter, Malik never knew how much his dark side feared and hated Odion… almost as much as Malik feared and hated Marik. A pang of guilt hit him as he watched his brother. He kept getting thrown back but it didn't stop him from getting up again. Malik was going to give up. Fighting in the Shadow Realm was one thing; getting out actually seemed like an option and keeping his fighting spirit alive wasn't hard with the company of Ryou. But once he was dragged into the realm world by his dark… escaping no longer seemed possible. He was once more at the clutches of Marik and giving up was the optimal thing to do. But he was wrong. _So wrong. _His views were flipped. In the Shadow Realm, there really _was _no way of getting out. But face to face with his dark side, someone he once was able to keep at bay, he realized that he _could _take over again. His fear was the only thing holding him back.

His eye widened as a plan quickly formed in his head. Focusing hard, he fixated his soul on his body, on the Millennium Rod, on eradicating his dark half. A small bit of Shadow Magic crackled around him and he felt a tugging at his gut. He was suddenly dragged into a limbo state but… not at the same time. Somewhere close by Marik was screaming. Malik felt legs and arms and a body on and off and heard Marik's constant screaming.

"_WHAT IS HAPPENING?!_" he shrieked.

"_I'm taking back my life."_ Malik replied in his head.

"Fight, Malik!" Odion encouraged. "Remember who you are. Remember why you are a Tomb Keeper. Remember Father, and all others who you did harm. Fight for them, for Ishizu, for me. Fight for yourself."

Marik screamed over Odion's works, but Malik still heard as he fought to enter his body.

"_No,_" Marik growled. "I've come to far to have you little fleas come in my way. _I _am the one and only. _I _am the true you and I will not have my weak little light overpower me."

And with that, Malik forced his spirit inside his body with a throbbing headache, both he and Marik groaning in pain. He was whole. He felt arms and legs… but the fight wasn't over, not by a long shot.

"Pharaoh!" He cried, finally able to use his voice. "If you can hear me, attack now!"

"No," the pharaoh replied. "I can't, not without risking your life."

"Screw my life!" Malik answered. "Please, I don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold on. I need your help to banish my dark side." As he said this, a skull-splitting headache pierced his head and he cried out in pain.

"_You will not be able to overpower me," _Marik thought to him, dark waves of hate hitting Malik with force. "_You are a little maggot for me to crush."_

"_No," _Malik replied. _"I am sick and tired of you pushing me around. _I _will crush you."_

"I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused," Malik found his voice again, speaking against the pain and the glares from Marik. "As a Tomb Keeper I was charged and raised to serve you and my resentment and anger has ended up with… well, me here. But I am ready to take responsibility for my actions and right my wrongs." He looked over at Odion. His brother nodded in approval.

"Well said, Master," he commended. "I have waited many years to hear this. You are finally growing up."

Malik opened his mouth to reply, but another headache crashed into his skull, threating to rip his body in two. Somewhere in the forefront of his mind, Marik was yelling threats and curses. "Please pharaoh!" He called. "You must attack now! It is the only hope for my survival!"

The glowing Eye on his forehead glowed brighter and Malik was shot back in his soul room—did he miss this place—as Marik took control.

"No, I will not have this happen!" Marik cried.

The Eye flashed again as Malik forced his way out the door. "Yes pharaoh! You must save yourself and all mankind! Please!"

"We can't!" Yugi cried. "The force of the attack could send you to the Shadow Realm!"

"That's fine! I survived the first time I was banished there!" Malik cawed back. "Just do it! It's the only way to rid of my dark half!"

"But I don't want to risk that!"

"Yugi, I'm afraid we don't have any choice," the pharaoh replied. "We must trust Malik's judgment."

"Please!" Malik pleaded. "It's the only way!"

/…\

Ryou woke up with aching muscles and a mild headache. He blinked a few times before sitting up, his blooding rushing back into the body. He shivered for no reason and racked his brain for memories but came up empty. A strange feeling of déjà vu washed over him and he feared for a moment the Spirit took over his body before he caught sight of him in the corner of his eye. Ryou turned to look at him. His back was turned as he spoke.

"You've finally awaken," he said evenly. "How was the nap?"

"How did I blackout?" Ryou asked. "I don't remember anything."

The Spirit finally turned to face Ryou, an odd look on his normally placid face. "I knocked you out in our fight. You overestimated your power. I'm not surprised."

"You look damaged too," Ryou noticed.

"How can you see this?"

"Your Shadow Aura is one tell."

Bakura glanced down at himself and Ryou smiled small and quick, knowing that he at least was able to do some damage. Bakura's Aura, while still dark and thick, wavered, flickering on and off like bad television reception. Ryou looked down at his own Aura. It was the same size as it was when he stopped repressing his new and improved abilities, but it occasionally flickered to something darker. He watch it interestedly, fear of his own power threatening to take over his sense. He looked back at the Spirit, who was watching him curiously.

"…Yes?" Ryou asked cautiously.

"You said one tell." The Spirit drawled. "What was the other?"

The Brit hesitated before saying, "Your expression."

His dark's expression scrunched up in confusion for a moment before smoothing over with his normal indifference. "And how could you tell from my expression?"

Ryou looked away, his gaze fixated on nothing in particular. "I see it in the mirror everyday."

Silence.

/…\

"I active Ragnarok!" the pharaoh shouted. "Since both Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl are on the field, I can release its power! First I must remove all monster cards from my hand, deck, and graveyard."

"No!" Marik yelled and the Eye flashed as he took control. "Stop this!"

"Too late."

Every monster from the pharaoh's deck appeared on the field in ghostly forms, the Shadow Realm's magic allowing the actual monsters into the game. The Eye flashed again so Malik could see this time and the sight was truly one to behold. Even the gods themselves appeared for the pharaoh, all of them behind Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl. Malik looked down as he felt a squeezing, Osiris wrapping himself around Ra. Realizing that since he was fused with the god monster he could feel his pain as well, Malik let Marik take control to take the beating since he was the one who put them in this situation. Through his eyes though, Malik saw Obelisk wrap his arms around Ra's head, gripping him in a secure lock hold.

"No one can defeat Ra!" Marik called out lamely. "Release me!"

Instead of doing so, Osiris and Obelisk lifted Ra and Marik high in the air, Kuriboh acting as an aircraft marshal. Marik cried out in pain and another headache hit Malik just as he screamed.

"This is over." The pharaoh said sternly. A pentagram with twelve points blazed above his head as the Magicians' wands began to glow. The three monsters entered the pentagram just as the Magicians fired their shots and the world glowed in a bright light.

Darkness.

Malik opened his eyes and blinked, looking around. He was in what appeared to be a courtroom… an Ancient Egyptian courtroom. The room itself was made out of sandstone and the gallery seats were gold with hieroglyphics carved into the sides. The jury's seats were also gold with hieroglyphics carved into the sides. The judge's seat, currently empty, was an elaborate golden design with rubies and emeralds and sapphires embedded in it. He turned; the entrance to the courtroom was open, sunshine flooding the room. White linen sheets hanging from pillars in the entrance lazily drifted in a breeze. Suddenly a shadow obscured the sunshine as a large red figure lifted its head and gazed down at Malik.

_Osiris, _Malik thought just as the god monster shimmered in a golden light and shrunk down to human size, his red skin turning black as night. His features were sharp, but strong. He wore a white Atef crown with two curling ostrich feathers at each side and was bare-chested except for a Usekh collar around his neck. He wore a simple linen Shendyt, or skirt, around his hips with a belt of gold holding it up. His crook and flail were in his hands. He surved Malik with dark eyes before sighing tiredly.

"If only we could find a way to destroy that insufferable Shadow Realm," his deep voice was heavy with exhaustion. "We wouldn't have to deal with this."

Malik opened his mouth to answer, but when another voice chimed in he realized the comment wasn't directed toward him.

"That's what you get with minor gods," a tall, deeply tanned man walked in. He wore a blue Atef crown and a light brown tunic with a golden belt wrapped around his waist. Gold armbands covered his forearm and elegant earrings dangled from his ears.

"Obelisk, you are a minor god," Osiris intoned. "You weren't even an official god until that pharaoh, Aknamkanon, came along."

"At least you are official!" he complained. "You know how I got worshipped? With those stupid statues! Humans don't even know I exist anymore."

"Well they must if you haven't faded away."

Obelisk opened his mouth, but closed it abruptly.

"Gentlemen," said a new voice, one that radiated of power and also kindness, "if we could please proceed with this, we may continue on with our immortal lives. I have a schedule to keep. The sun doesn't drive itself."

This man was also dark-skinned but had the head of a golden phoenix. An elegant Usekh collar was around his neck and he also donned a white linen Shendyt with a golden belt securing it at his waist. He had armbands at his wrists and upper arms and bands around his ankles. A golden crook was in his hand as he strode into the room.

"Of course, Ra." Osiris replied.

"Dealing with all these teenagers is giving me a headache," Obelisk moaned. "It reminds me of dealing with those Kane boys. What were their names? Julius and Amos?"

"Obelisk," Ra groaned.

"And now we have to deal with these kids! I told you, Ra, teenagers should never be pharaoh!"

"What about Tutankhamen?" Offered Ra. "He was a good king."

"Pah, besides him. That Cleopatra was no good."

"Well of course," Ra said. "She was Greek. We aren't exactly on good terms with their Parthenon."

Malik watched with amazement. Gods. _The _Egyptian gods who he learned about and worshipped were standing _right in front of him. _He couldn't believe his eyes. He didn't notice that they were staring back until Obelisk cleared his throat.

"Oh, uh," Malik bowed awkwardly. "My apologies."

Obelisk snorted and trekked down the aisle to the jury seats. Malik started to turn toward Ra when a banging of a gavel interrupted his thoughts.

"The trial between Marik and Malik Ishtar is now in session."

/…\

_He's able to read me now, _Bakura thought bitterly. _That means I'm growing weak._

Their awkward silence was painful for a few reasons.

It was extraordinarily awkward

The silence itself was so quiet there was a ringing in his ears

Bakura was left with his thoughts which was never a good thing

He released Diabound back into the Shadow Realm and was left by himself with his host, whom, by this point, he wanted nothing to do with. His back was turned and he faced the slow pulsing light grey shadows. He actually started missing the real world and all those lovely people for him to manipulate.

His thoughts were disrupted by a loud and long growling noise. He turned and Ryou was doubled over, whimpering.

Bakura broke the silence. "Hungry?" He said snidely.

Ryou looked at him, a deep pleading and desperation in his eyes. "Very much so."

"When was the last you ate?"

"How long has it been since we escaped Azazel's façade?"

"A week."

"Then a week."

Bakura pursed his lips and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I can't do anything about that."

Ryou glared at him, sitting up. "They why did you ask?"

He shrugged. "Just making conversation."

Ryou's face was incredulous. "Since when do _you _make conversation? And on top of that, since when do you _talk _to me?"

Bakura paused at his statement. Since when _did _he start talking to his host? He was spending too much time with the boy. His host and Malik were rubbing off in him. Bored, he guessed, was the main reason why he was talking to Ryou. No reason to leave this place since—hopefully—they were leaving soon anyway once the pharaoh beat Marik. He never really tortured Ryou before and there was no point starting now. Zorc obviously wanted nothing to do with him at the moment. There was nothing really to do, nothing really to think about…

"Boredom." Bakura concluded.

"You are talking to me because you are bored?" Ryou asked, confused.

"I suppose so."

"That's… odd."

"Why are you answering my questions then?"

Just like that Ryou shut up and turned his back to Bakura.

The silence resumed.

/…\

The gavel slammed a second time and Malik found himself sitting on the plaintiff side. He looked over at the defendant's side. Marik's legs were on the table, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face; he was pouting. He glanced over at Malik and stuck his tongue out at him. Malik gave him a what-the-hell face and looked at the jury. Ra and Horus as well as an array of other gods sat in the benches. Malik picked out Horus, Isis, and Thoth as well as a few other major gods. He looked behind and the courtroom was mostly empty except for a few minor gods sitting in the gallery.

"Court in now in session," Osiris began. "I, like usual, am presiding. Both plaintiff and defendant will act as their own lawyer. The person found guilty will be judged against the Feather of Truth." The Millennium Scales appeared on the judge's bench. "If found guilty, that party will be executed."

"Osiris," said a voice that Malik found vaguely familiar. He turned and running up the isle was none other than Shadi.

"You!" Malik cried out.

Shadi ignored him and muttered something to Osiris. Sighing, Osiris nodded his head. "I understand." He looked up at the courtroom. "The guilty party will be the one whose soul is up for gamble with the Shadow Realm." Shadi nodded and ran back the way he came. Osiris muttered something and shook his head. "Mr. Ishtar," he looked at Malik. "Your opening statement?"

Malik hesitantly got up. He had no idea what to say. Learning the rules for a courtroom was not something he learned during his time underground. Of course he knew that when people died their souls were judged with the Feather of Truth, but he wasn't dead…

His realization came the moment he walked in front of the judge's bench. The losing party was going to die. Still, he had never seen a trial and didn't know what to say. So he decided to go the safe route and just regurgitated what he told the pharaoh and his friends.

"I was born a Tomb Keeper of the Ishtar Clan charged to keep the pharaoh's secret until he returned. I was bitter of this honor and ended up resenting the pharaoh. After I received the Tomb Keeper's Initiation I made up an imaginary friend to keep me company. He was very nice to me and told be it was okay to be angry with the pharaoh for burdening me with such a task."

A muffled giggle sounded behind him and Malik turned and looked at his dark. Marik's hands were covering his mouth and he was trying very hard to contain his laughter. Malik continued.

"After my sister took me to the outside world I became even angrier and ended up killing my father, the first time my dark side took control. I ran away and committed countless crimes. When I heard of the pharaoh's return in the form of a boy in Japan I gathered my followers and made my way there to ensure my revenge for keeping me locked underground. I was going to kill the pharaoh and finally be free of the burden of his secret. Things got out of hand," he gestured to his dark, "and now I am fully remorseful for everything I have done. I want to make things right with my king and fulfill my duty as a Tomb Keeper."

"Thank you," said Osiris as Malik sat down. "Mr.… Ishtar?" he looked at Malik who shook his head vigorously. "Okay then, Mr. Marik, your opening statement."

Marik swung his legs off the table and leisurely got up, strutting forward with confidence.

_What an idiot, _Malik thought. _If I know nothing about trials, like hell he does._

"I was born from a lonely boy who needed a friend," he said. "I helped him when he was sad, laughed with him when he was happy, and protected him from those who tried to do him harm. When he said he no longer wanted to be a Tomb Keeper, I told him why not run away? I fully supported everything he ever did. When he started backing out of his plans, I took over to help him." As he spoke, his eyes trailed to Malik and an odd look of sincerity was on his face. "I wanted what he wanted. I was just trying to help." He smiled, a normal genuine smile, at the jury, judge, and then finally Malik before sitting back down.

"Thank you," said Osiris. "Mr. Ishtar, since this trial is between you and…" he looked a Marik for a moment before saying, "yourself, your dark will be your only witness and vice versa. Please call your witness to the stand."

"Uh," Malik stood and looked around, unsure of what to do.

"You say, 'I call so-and-so to the stand' and ask them questions about their crime," Osiris answered Malik's confused face.

"Crime?"

"Well, it's more of a 'who deserves the body more' type thing, but yes! The crime!"

"I still don't understand."

Osiris started getting annoyed when Ra stood from the jury's seats. "Yes, dear boy. The crimes here are," a piece of paper appeared in his hand. "Murder, larceny, reject of one's true self, and…" he squinted at the paper. "The fourth one is smudged. But you get the idea now?"

Malik nodded and turned his attention to his dark. "I call Marik to the stand."

Marik smiled his insane smile at him. "You said my name for once. I'm so honored." He got up and strode to the witness stand next to Osiris. A beautiful goddess with her black hair cut in a sharp bob and dressed in a simple white dress similar to something Ishizu would wear approached the stand. Malik guessed she was Maat, goddess of truth since a white feather was in her hand: the Feather of Truth.

"Place your hand on the feather." She said and Marik did so. "Do you solemnly swear that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you Ra?"

"I do."

From the stands, Ra smiled and glowed faintly.

Malik walked over to his dark.

"Hi, Malik-dear," he said. "How's it going?"

"The witness is not allowed to talk unless he is spoken to." Osiris ordered.

Marik pouted but closed his mouth.

"Is it true that you were trying to help me?" Malik began, mostly to appease his curiosity.

"Of course," his dark chirped. "Everything I did was to help you."

"So you murdered all those innocent people to help me?"

"I never murdered anyone."

Malik blinked. "What? Of course you did!"

Marik shook his head, a frown on his face. "Nope. Never did."

"Well," Malik stammered. "You killed my dad."

"I'll admit to that one," he agreed. "Besides that I never killed anyone. That was all you."

Malik stopped, taken aback. Holy shit. He was right. "You thought about killing people though, right?"

A slow smile crept across Marik's face. "Of course I did. I thought about a lot of things. Murder, homicide, suicide, rape, torture…" he ticked each word off with his fingers. "The works."

"You thought about suicide?"

Marik shrugged. "A few times. Not because I liked the idea of killing myself, that would be a crime in itself, but because it sounded like fun."

"You're sick."

"You created me."

Malik took a breath to collect his thoughts. His dark was getting to him, and Marik knew it. He inhaled before asking, "Did you ever steal anything?"

"Nope. You did that."

"You stole my body," Malik glared.

The smile got larger. "I did that."

"You stole my deck."

"That too."

"YOU STOLE MY LIFE!" Malik lunged forward and wrapped his hands around Marik's neck. The jury gasped and Osiris banged his gavel.

"_ORDER! ORDER!_" He boomed and snapped his fingers. Malik was lifted into the air. "There will be no throttling of throats in my courtroom! Understand?"

Malik nodded.

Osiris looked at Marik. "And you! No taunting!"

Marik rolled his eyes but nodded.

Osiris put Malik back on the ground. "Please proceed."

"Are there any crimes beside that that you actually committed?" he asked.

Marik shook his head. "No. There was no way for me to being locked up in our soul room."

"Oh." Malik paused. "Uh, I don't have anymore questions."

"Then say 'no more questions.'" Ra supplied.

"No more questions." And he sat back down.

"Mr. Marik, would you like to cross examine yourself?"

Marik shook his head.

"Would you like to call a witness?"

He jumped over the witness stand and strode over to his light. "I'd have the honor of calling Malik-dear to the stand."

/…\

"So…" Bakura drawled.

Ryou ignored him.

"Wanna split the deck and play a game of Duel Monsters?"

Ryou looked at him disbelievingly. "What is wrong with you? You are acting way out of character."

"So are you." Bakura noted, crossing his arms as a thought dawned on him. "I guess this part of the Shadow Realm alters personalities. That explains my rather… 'friendly' behavior and why you are so cross."

"I guess so," Ryou uttered.

There was a paused, then, "Wanna play?"

"_No._"

Silence

/…\

Marik took the first few minutes of Malik's sitting in the witness stand just staring and grinning at him. Malik new he was raking it in, this little bit of power, to finally put Malik on the stand… literally. Malik often questioned his dark about his motives, but never the other way around. Now it was his turn to get some answers.

"Well you admitted to killing and stealing," his dark started. "Why did you though?"

Malik swallowed before answering. He took an oath to tell the truth, and that's what he was going to do. "Because they got in my way or I didn't need them anymore or they knew too much information. I stole because I wanted."

"And did you want to kill the pharaoh?"

"…Yes. At one time I did."

"But you don't anymore?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I was wrong." Malik answered candidly. "He is a just and worthy king. I was selfish. Compared to the greater good, my needs were petty. I understood this a bit late, but it's never too late for a second chance," he look at Osiris, "right?"

Marik frowned hard, thinking of another question. Malik felt like his chances of winning were grim. Marik was right. He never really killed or stole or threatened… and the questions he asked his dark didn't make him seem like the bad guy. If anything, it revealed a lot about himself.

"Did you reject your Tomb Keeper heritage?" Marik asked suddenly.

"Uhm… yes." Malik said. "I still kept with some of the traditions, but by leaving the tomb I basically said 'screw you' to the Clan and the pharaoh."

"No further questions." Marik concluded and strolled back to his seat.

"Mr. Ishtar, would you like to cross examine yourself?" Osiris asked.

He thought for a moment, but couldn't come up with any questions to ask himself. He shook his head.

"Then give your closing statement." Osiris said.

"You tell the jury why we should think you are innocent." Ra provided before Malik asked what that meant.

Malik nodded and slid off the witness stand and stood in front of the jury. "Honored gods and goddesses," he began. "I screwed up. I abandoned my heritage, murdered people, stole ancient artifacts and Duel Monster cards, and brought pain to almost everyone I came in contact with. But I have a chance to make everything right. By regaining my body I can rid the world of my darker half. Once the duel is done he will kill the pharaoh and bring darkness to the world. I will remedy that and complete my duty as a Tomb Keeper by giving the pharaoh the information carved into my back. I want to make everything right and bring honor back to the Ishtar name." He looked pleadingly at the jury for a moment before sitting back down.

"Mr. Marik, your closing statement."

He sauntered over to the jury and smiled. "I deserve the body because I've never had one of my own. Technically, I'm only seven-years-old. How am I supposed to know right from wrong when everything I learned came from a six-year-old? And I'm just trying to fulfill a childhood dream." He bowed politely and sat back down.

Osiris banged his gavel. "The jury will go into recess to deliberate the fates of Mr. Ishtar and Mr. Marik. This court is adjourned." He banged his gavel again and in a flash, the gods were gone.

/…\

Even if what Bakura said was true about this area of the Shadow Realm warping personalities, it still didn't stop him from getting on Ryou's nerves. God, he was being _so annoying. _He kept asking random questions and pestering Ryou to do things. It was aggravating.

"Will you leave me the bloody alone you twat!" he crowed.

"That's not very polite," Bakura commented. "I was just trying to be nice."

"Explaining why you kept me locked in my soul room almost all throughout my junior year of high school is not being nice!" He yelled. "I only have one year left of high school and I can barely remember this year. Fantastic."

"Sorry?" Bakura proposed lamely.

Ryou glared at him and continued to ignore his dark.

/…\

"How does it feel?" Marik chimed. Since the gods left, Malik moved to the back of the courtroom, leaning against one of the pillars, anything to get as far away from his dark as possible.

"How does what feel?" Malik asked back through gritted teeth, refusing to look as he heard his dark approach him.

"Your defeat. Obviously you're the guilty one. I did nothing."

"You were the one who goaded me to do everything!" Malik accused, turning to face his dark.

Marik smirked. "Oops. You should've mentioned that."

"Ugh!" Malik pulled at his blond hair and walked back into the courtroom just as Osiris appeared and banged on the gavel.

"The jury has come to a conclusion. May all parties come back to court." He said. Malik stood behind the plaintiff table and Marik unhurriedly walked back to the defendant table.

"Ra, the verdict."

Ra stood and looked down at a piece of paper. "We find the defendant, Mr. Marik innocent."

Malik's face fell. No… no… this wasn't supposed to happen! _He _was supposed to guilty. How could this happen?

"We find the plaintiff, Mr. Ishtar, guilty on accounts of murder, larceny, and rejection of true self."

"No!" Malik cried. "This can't be right! I… I'm the hikari! The light!" He pointed to Marik. "He's the dark side! The yami! He's supposed to be guilty, not me!"

"Mr. Ishtar, that is the jury's decision and we don't speak Japanese." Osiris said. "Please come forward for the weighing of your soul."

Tears threatening to pour from his eyes, Malik swallowed and approached the judge's desk.

"Maat," Osiris said and she walked over and plunged her hand into Malik's chest. He cried out just as she pulled out a wispy white form that looked like condensed fog: his soul. She handed it and the Feather of Truth to Osiris. He thanked her and addressed the jury. "We now begin the Weighing of the Soul." He placed both the feather and soul on opposite sides of the Scales. Malik closed his eyes and heard the Scales tip…

"The Feather of Truth finds the chosen party innocent."

Malik's eyes snapped open and sure enough, the Feather was heavier than his soul. Maat took the soul off the scale and gently nudged it back into Malik. He shivered as is passed through him. His closed his mouth when he realized it was hanging open. It felt like a thousand pounds were lifted off his shoulders.

"May the previously declared innocent party approach the stand."

Marik, bewilderment on his face, walked forward. Maat pushed her hand into his chest and pulled out his soul; instead of white, his soul was black smoke. She handed it to Osiris and he repeated the process. The Scales tipped, Marik's soul heavier than the feather.

"The Feather of Truth finds the chosen party guilty."

"_WHAT?_" Marik roared and Maat roughly shoved his soul back into his chest. "I deserve a body more than he does! Don't I get a chance?!"

"You had one, Marik," Osiris said, stepping down from the judge's desk and walking around to stand in front of the two Egyptian teens. "But the Feather never lies. Malik is correct when he says that you are the 'dark half' of his personality. You shall have your punishment served back on earth."

"What… 'back on earth'?" Malik repeated. "Where have we been then?" He asked curiously.

Osiris smiled. "The Duat of course." He lifted his crook and flail, but a voice interrupted.

"Osiris! Wait a moment!" Ra cried, running down to join the small group. "The smudged bit of the crime cleared itself! It says," he looked down at the paper, "'preventing the pharaoh from saving the world from darkness.' Apparently Maat purposefully had it smudged." He glanced at her and she smiled.

"The trial wouldn't have been fair if we had that little detail included." She said innocently. "Besides, Malik needed to come to terms with himself." She winked at him and he felt a blush creep into his cheeks.

Osiris rolled his eyes and began chanting, his crook and flail glowing brightly until the light consumed both Malik and Marik.

Darkness.

Then smoke. Malik felt weak and hot. Something heavy was weighing his arm down but he couldn't see anything or remembered what happened. Some piece of fabric seemed to be chocking him. Then voices… faintly familiar and far away... then the voices grew louder and were directed in front of him. The smoke began to clear and figures appeared… two across from him and a bunch below. A memory triggered. A duel! Right! His dark side was battling the pharaoh and he dragged Malik and Yugi into it as bargaining chips.

"He made it!"

The smoke cleared fully. Malik breathed heavily, trying to remember what else happened… something about the Duat? He couldn't remember and decided it wasn't important anyway. What was important was he got his body back and defeated his dark side. He looked up finally at the pharaoh and Yugi, still trying to catch his breath.

"Pharaoh," he said weakly, throwing off the heavy cape to help cool his body. "There is something else we must do. I still have one life point left."

Yugi gasped. "You're right! The duel isn't finished!"

Just as he spoke, a form shimmered next to Malik. Where he once was kept hostage, Marik now hung from the shadows. He was nearly gone; the only thing left was one of his chaotic, pupiless eyes. His voiced echoed around, a voice lost among the shadows.

"W-what's going on?" He sounded scared. "Th-this shouldn't be happening!"

"Looks like the tables have turned," the pharaoh observed.

"Malik, listen to me," Marik's voice was urgent.

"You said my name for once," Malik spat, the words sounding vaguely familiar and yet suiting. "I should be honored."

"Please, Malik." Marik insisted. "We could still defeat the pharaoh! Think of the reason why you left the Tomb Keepers! Your childhood was wasted away because of him! Think of the pain he caused you!"

"No," Malik replied, looking at what was left of his dark. "_You _are the one who brought pain to my life, not the pharaoh."

"But think about it!" Marik continued. "We could kill him and not have to worry anymore! We could even take the god cards and find the Millennium Items! We could rule the world together if we wanted."

"I never desired absolute power," Malik said. "You know that."

"Don't be a fool, Malik!" Marik's voice started getting impatient. "We've come so far. Don't throw away everything we'd worked for."

"You keep saying 'we,'" Malik observed. "I think the proper pronoun is 'you.' You wanted all of this. I believe I remember you admitting to being the one goading me on to do these horrible things. I never wanted all of this. _You did._" He looked back at the pharaoh and he nodded.

"Your move." The pharaoh said.

Malik nodded. "I'm sorry. For everything I did. I can't change the past, but I can start over and embrace my family legacy." He looked over at his siblings and smiled a little. "I'm proud to be a Tomb Keeper and I'm proud of my sister and brother."

Odion smiled back. "Thank you."

Malik continued. "My family has waited five thousand years for your return. Now that you're here I can fulfill that destiny." He lifted his Duel Disk up and hovered his other hand above it.

"_No!_" Marik wailed. "Yo-you can't do this!"

"Yes, I can." Malik glared at the eye. "And yes I will. I must fulfill my destiny so the pharaoh can fulfill his. Before I can reveal the information on my back to the pharaoh, he must be in possession of all three god cards." He grinned again. "Luckily for him, I have the third one."

"You are making a huge mistake!" Marik yelled.

"No," Malik closed his eyes. "For the first time in years, I am making the right choice." He laid his hand on the Duel Disk. "I forfeit the game."

"Don't you _dare!_" Marik howled. "You need me! You'll regret this!"

Malik turned on fully to face the tiny fragment left of his darker half. "Like hell. Have a nice time in the Shadow Realm. I hear the weather is lovely."

Marik roared in protest but shadows wrapped around Marik's eye and he was gone. The shadows cleared away, revealing a bright blue sky and ending the Shadow Duel. He sighed in relief and looked back at the pharaoh. Yugi was no longer present, but by the way the pharaoh was addressing the area next to him, he could tell he was back in his soul room.

"Thank you, my pharaoh," Ishizu said.

"If anyone, you should thank your brother," he replied. "Thanks to him the darkness was lifted."

That one henchman of Kaiba's that Malik couldn't remember the name of ran up on the platform and announced the pharaoh—Yugi—as the winner of Battle City. His friends cheered and hollered as the platform descended back down. When it finally was flush with the rest of the tower, Malik ran over to his siblings, tackling them both in a hug. His sister had tears in her eyes. He released them and smiled sadly.

"I am so sorry." He said.

"You've apologized enough for one day," she answered. "All that matters is you're safe and that you're back… both physically and to the old you."

"Well," Malik said. "I kinda went through a lot of shit. I'll never be the same as I once _was_, but I can still be the person I'm supposed to be."

His sister smiled at him. "Indeed. And you accomplished the mission of the Tomb Keepers."

A memory sparked in Malik's head, one from a conversation he and his sister had what seemed like months ago—to him, it probably was months ago. "Hey Sis, does this mean that the three of us can start over? Can we live on the surface world now?"

"Yes we can. No point living underground again. I think it's time we start living in the light, don't you?"

Malik couldn't stop his grin and the over enthusiastic hug he gave his sister. She laughed and returned it with the same chagrin. He let her go and looked up at Odion, his eyes shiny from tears threatening to pool. "Thank you. For everything."

Odion patted Malik on the head. "I'd do anything for you Master Malik."

"Oh my gods, come _on!_" Malik moaned. "You can stop with the whole 'Master Malik' stuff. You're my brother, not my servant! I wanted you to call me that when I was still an asshole."

"Language!" Ishizu chastised.

"If we're gonna live on the surface, we gotta get with the times," Malik replied. "You have to be less formal, Sis. No one will take you seriously."

Ishizu slapped his arm.

Mokuba's voice suddenly floated to Malik's ears as he loudly said, "The winner gets the loser's strongest card."

"Oh yeah!" Malik said, quickly taking his deck out of the Duel Disk and shuffling through it, trying to find Ra. "I almost forgot." He walked over to the pharaoh and handed him the card. "I also thought I'd mention that everyone who was banished to the Shadow Realm by my dark side will return, and probably has as I'm speaking." His mind flipped over to Ryou, wondering where he was. He noticed the Millennium Ring hanging around his neck and wondered where it came from.

_Bakura's probably in there, _He thought. _And Ryou probably wonders where it is. I'll get it to him soon enough._

"Thank you," the pharaoh smiled earnestly.

Malik returned the smile as his siblings joined him and everyone else on the platform. "And now to perform my final task as a Tomb Keeper, I can reveal to you what is carved in my back." He turned around took off his shirt. There was an audible gasp and a wolf whistle that Malik guessed was from Duke. He rolled his eyes.

"These markings were passed down from generation to generation to the eldest son of the Ishtar family." He explained.

"We were taught that when the ancient pharaoh saved the world from darkness, he wiped his own memory clean to prevent his enemy from defeating him in the future. He knew someday he would return and need his memory back, so he entrusted our family with his secret. That secret is carved into Malik's back. All you need to do is read it."

"Alright." Malik heard the pharaoh say. After a moment, Ishizu nodded at her brother and he retrieved his shirt. He put his hand around the Millennium Rod and for once, it felt off in his hands. That was okay though.

"You'll need this," he said, handing it over to the pharaoh. "We no longer need to guard it and you are its rightful owner." He glanced over briefly at Kaiba and the Millennium Ring suddenly seemed heavy on his chest.

_You know what, _he thought, _fuck you, Bakura. Sorry Ryou. _He took off the Ring and also handed it over to the pharaoh. "I think this is safest with you."

Kaiba scoffed. "Can we end this love fest? I have a company to run and the tournament is over. If you'd like a free ride back to Domino, I suggest you board now. The Kaiba Corporation is not liable to any injuries you sustain if you remain here. The island will explode in one hour."

:::^:::

There was a huge upset over the island exploding and the airship not working and not being able to find Kaiba, but luckily a helicopter was available for the group to escape on. Malik and his siblings ran off the airship and onto the helicopter with the obnoxious Kaiba Corp. "KC" engraved on the sides. As Malik boarded, he caught sight of Ryou. The Brit gave him a small smile and waved. Malik waved back with twice the enthusiasm.

"Thirty seconds…" one of Kaiba's henchman said as the helicopter lifted swiftly into the air.

"I hope Kaiba made it out," the pharaoh muttered.

Just as he spoke, a loud explosion and bright light erupted from the tower as the manmade island started to crumble into the ocean. Out of the rubble, smoke, and explosions, a Blue Eyes White Dragon zipped away.

"What?" the pharaoh remarked. "How is that even possible?"

Laughter sounded from the speakers and it dawned on Malik that the dragon looked too metallic and robotic to be the actual monster.

"You gotta be kidding me," Jou remarked.

"Surprise!" Mokuba's voice was garbled through the static, but his tone was friendly. "Hey bro, why are they in the helicopter?"

"Oops." Kaiba's voice was smug. "I guess the airship wasn't repaired."

Jou stormed up to the front of the helicopter and grabbed the radio. "YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY WE ALMOST DIED?!"

"Sorry, Jou," Mokuba said. "We have some important Kaiba Corp business to attend to!"

"Don't worry. You haven't seen the last of me." Kaiba remarked.

"WE GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL AS YOU DUMBASS!" Jou yelled.

Kaiba ignored him. "You owe me another duel, Yugi." He stated before flying the jet in the opposite direction of the helicopter.

"COME BACK HERE!" Jou shouted into the now dead radio. "I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!"

Honda and Duke wrestled the radio away from him and Malik looked over at Ryou who was sitting by himself near the end of the bench. Malik walked over to him.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"Not at all," Ryou replied and Malik sat next to him. There was a small awkward silence, something rare between the two of them. But they had been through so much and there was so much to say. How to begin was the question. Malik went the easy route and spoke up.

"How long were you in there after I was taken hostage?"

"About a week."

"Ouch. A week with Ba—" Ryou gave him a look. "A week with your darker half must've been hell."

"It was… strange." Ryou laughed lightly. "You know that blue-grey area we were in?" Malik nodded. "Turns out it altered personalities. I started acting like a prick and the Spirit was behaving like a needy child."

"Get out!" Malik exclaimed. "That's unreal! Did you fight at all?"

"At first right after you left," Ryou kneaded his hands. "But I don't really remember much of it. I remember losing and… nothing. Then waking up to the Spirit looking battered. It was peculiar. How about you?"

Malik recalled his tale from being brought to the duel up to giving the pharaoh the Millennium Rod. He felt like he was forgetting an important detail, like how he was finally able to take control of his body, but he couldn't remember.

"So the total count of us being in the Shadow Realm was eight months." He stated.

"Eight months and a week for me," Ryou said. "That's a long time."

"Too long."

"I agree."

"I'm not shadow travelling again for another year."

"I'm not even going to try shadow travelling." Ryou laughed. "Hey, since you gave up your Rod, can you still do Shadow Magic?"

Malik nodded. "Remember the two hour thing? Still applies here. I have two hours worth of Shadow Magic. Not like I have a limited time slot, but say for example we had a Shadow Duel and it took two hours. There would be my time."

"Ah," Ryou said. "Okay."

"You know you still have Shadow Magic right?" Malik asked. "Are you going to use it?"

Ryou unconsciously touched his chest and looked down, noticing he was missing the Millennium Ring. "Where did my Ring go?"

Malik indicated the now Yugi who was conversing with Anzu. "I gave it to the pharaoh. I figured he could use it more than you and thought I'd do you a favor."

The Brit smiled at him but sighed. "Thank you, but I know I'll find it on my bedside table in the morning. To answer your question, no, I don't think I will. I've had my fill of Shadow Magic for some time."

"Uh, not to burst your bubble," Malik said. "But you're dealing with the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. I don't think he'll let you off the hook that easily."

"I supposed not."

Malik held up one finger as a thought occurred to him. "Can you give me a moment? I gotta do something." He walked over to Mai who was chatting about some magazine with Serenity. "Hey Mai, could I talk to you for a moment?"

:::^:::

The ride back to Domino took up the rest of the day, the helicopter landing at sunset. On the way back, Malik was able to make up with Mai; she told him she felt like she was in the Shadow Realm for three weeks, but it felt like forever. Instead of complaining about how long he was there, he apologized again and again. She forgave him, but said she wouldn't forgive his dark side. He understood her position.

He and Ryou talked the rest of the way back, recalling the fonder memories of the Shadow Realm and just talking in general. They even compared and contrasted the similarities and differences between their worlds from Azazel's maze. The rest of the group was curious about their time there, but once Mai started crying they decided that was a bad idea.

When the helicopter landed and the group got off, Malik gave Ryou a hug.

"Thank you for keeping me sane."

"Thank _you _for not letting me die."

Malik laughed suddenly and Ryou cocked his head. "What?"

"That's exactly what 'you' said in that fake world Azazel tricked us into."

"Really?" Ryou asked.

"Yeah. It was something really cheesy, but kinda okay. Cheese isn't bad sometimes."

"It's my favorite dairy product," Ryou supplied and the two laughed.

"I'll make sure to give you a visit once my family gets settled," Malik said. "How long is a plane ride from Egypt to Japan? Six hours?"

"Ten hours and thirty minutes," Ryou corrected. "And that's without layovers and if the flight is direct."

"Nevermind," Malik made a face. "That's way too long. Maybe I'll make an exception of shadow travelling to see my best friend."

Ryou chuckled. "I'll make the plane ride then. You're too impatient."

Malik shrugged, but smiled. Best friend. He had a best friend. And he was positive Ryou thought the same thing. It seemed they made a pact with each other when they first shook hands, almost like a promise to each other that if they got out they'd remain friends. They went through a lot together and after spending eight months in the darkness, you can't help but make friends—even best friends—with your company. After all, two is a company.

* * *

Whew! That was LOOOOOOOONG. XD

Well, that's it. I again want to thank you all for keeping with me. I am very satisfied with this story and I am so happy to finally complete my first chapter story. It's a bit sad, but I'll get over it. An ending to one thing leads to the beginning of another!

Thank you. 3

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal


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